Conquering the Darkness Within
by Lucky-9-Rose
Summary: "Care? Why does anyone care? Caring causes us pain and agony. It is a weakness. One that I shall not allow myself to have again." Meta Knight X OC
1. Unexpected Arrival

_Author's Notes: My novel is finally updated on FFN. This is my first story with an OC so I hope you will like it. Summer holidays are here so I have lots of time to upload new chapters; luckily I wrote everything so I will not be uploading late, unless it's for suspense. If you like it, I will add more chapters; any feedback is appreciated and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me. I hope this story will be a success and worth it after the three month wait._

_Disclaimer: I don't own SSBB; I only own my OC_

_**UPDATE: January 10 2010 – Some parts of this chapter have been fixed and improved.**_

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**Part 1**

Conquering the Darkness Within

Prologue:

I gazed at my reflection in a form that was not my own, but my exact opposite. I had no control over my body whatsoever and that realization strengthened my fears and worries. My opposite desired to inflict hurt, pain, sorrow and bloodshed. I was frightened by my uncontrollable urges to give in. I could easily feel my heart rate erratically increase and every movement became more restricted, except for breathing.

The mirror's reflection repulsed me; sent chills throughout my body I had no control over. I needed to meet my opposing side's demands, but it was not on my list of priorities. No one deserved pain because of me; especially the one I loved with all my heart. Should I hurt anyone important to me, I could not live with myself no matter how hard I would try to ignore feeling regret of being a killer. Once a death was caused by my hands, it would leave a separate scar each time.

In my hand was a sword tightened in my grasp to fight the dark side I was temporary becoming. A chilling thought crossed my mind: Would this ever become permanent and the end I wanted least? No…I cannot allow this to happen. This…is not me. I raised my sword about to strike the nearest blurry figure closest to me, but used the last of my will to turn the blow onto myself.

My mind raced seeing the blood pour from my wound, not dripping but flowing. I ran as fast as I could out of the room, wanting to destroy myself, what I am and its entirety. My demon needed the taste the liquid dripping onto the ground as I continued to run as fast as possible. _I_ needed something else to distract my mind; I didn't want to drink any blood at all costs. The liquid poured from my wounds, adding to the drops collecting on the dirty cold ground. I shuddered from disgust, my hand clutching at my heart. No matter how much I tried, I could not escape what I was meant to be.

Soon I was met face to face with a dark figure chuckling at my pain and suffering. His eyes pierced into mine shining with pleasure at my discomfort. "Enjoying yourself? It sounded like fun back there. Am I right?"

A growl escaped my vocal before I could stop it. How I desired to attack the one in front of me and make whoever it is suffer a blood shedding death and fulfill my other side's need. Calming down is becoming a futile attempt to accomplish the impossible. My anger was too great to be subdued at this point.

"Leave me alone," I hissed at the monster hovering before my very eyes. I knew this monster though. "Just go away. I've had enough of this! I just want to be alone."

"You have no choice but to do as you are asked. You are to obey my commands," the voice replied. "Now murder the demon or else you will meet a painful and miserable end. I am sure that is not what you want."

Tears threatened to fill my eyes and shed onto my cheeks. My heart prevented me from killing senselessly like the monster standing and towering over my small round form. "No…that is not what I want. I will do as you ask. Just don't kill me."

"Very well then. You may go. And do not fail me. I'm giving you only one chance and this one is your very last."

"I won't…" A couple tears splashed down my cheeks at my surrender. Sometimes I wish I could curl up and fall asleep…and never wake up.

My destiny was controlled by a monster.

Was that a life worth living?

Should I even bother anymore?

…I'm not a monster…I can't be a killer. It's not who I am.

But who am I? I don't know myself anymore. Not after years of slaughtering the innocent.

Unexpected Arrival: Chapter One

_Rain fell softly from the sky as the clock was reaching midnight. The raindrops glistened the window of a large elegant house neighbouring the Smash Mansion. Inside the house in the main room were two figures shadowed in the dim light from the fireplace. _

_The smaller figure faced the one sitting in the rocking chair going back and forth by the warm of the fire. The young child had a blanket wrapped around its body to contain the warmth close to her body._

"_How did it happen? It must have occurred a long time ago." The child spoke with pure sincerity and curiosity. She never expected her to know of her experiences. For being so young, was the child even ready?_

"_Dear, it is a long story. It will take a while to explain. But are you truly ready to hear this though? I do not want to make you feel uncomfortable. It is not the easiest thing to talk about."_

"_That's okay, I'm more than ready. Begin whenever you like. Like I said I'm ready. Are you?"_

_She smiled warmly. "All right, it all began…"_

_Thunder could be heard in the distance and all became black after the following flash of lightening… _

In a dark hallway, a short, round figure was wondering about. Voices could be distinctly heard from a room nearby. Whoever was speaking was having an important conversation. The round puffball walked silently down the hallway so she could hear what the voices were saying, careful not to make any noises.

She could hear the voices clearly as soon as she was halfway down the hallway.

"What do you think should be done with her? She has never been useful to us after all those years it took to create her. Was she even worth all that time and effort? The same time it took for me?"

"It would be unwise to eliminate her," a voice said, cool and calmly. "We just may have some use of her yet. We could, of course, have her undergo more experiments to see why she has been useless. Once that is done, we can find out what is wrong with her and what can be done to rectify any errors."

"That will do Isaken. We'll carry this out this evening as planned earlier. I'll see you and that girl later then. Be sure to keep to your word, because I guarantee, I can go back on mine must you attempt anything I wouldn't approve."

"That will do Master. We will both be there, _I guarantee you_. But if we are just a second late, you will have to deal with it, I suppose. Depends on how busy _my_ schedule is. Very well, I'll see you tonight with the girl."

The girl shuddered at the thought of enduring more experiments. She went through so many, she lost count. The girl knew she had to escape as soon as possible. Having lived in a research facility for a very long time, she knew where everything was. The girl knew the research facility was high above the ground and her options of escaping were very limited. She did remember there was an escape hatch nearby. Finding it was a must and had to be done immediately.

The hallway was vacant at the present moment so she was able to get to her destination without being detected. Her hand went to open the door when an alarm blared through the entire area. She glared, her plan failing after she was feeling so hopeful it would work. Her pace to the escape hatch quickened, her silent walking changed to the fastest running she could muster. Now was not the time to give up. She had to try harder.

Adrenaline gave her the strength to send the door flying with one single punch. She kept her frantic pursuit to the exit, oblivious to the footsteps approaching her from behind. At the end of the room, she reached her goal of making it to the escape hatch. She finally did it.

Excitement filled her, giving her tremendous courage she never possessed before. Finally, she could be free after so many years of isolation and misery. Eagerly, she opened the hatch, took a deep breath and jumped.

The day for the opening of the third Super Smash Brothers Tournament finally arrived. The thirty-five that were chosen from various worlds to be Smashers for the tournament left their home planets to another dimension, known as the Smash Universe. By nine in the morning, the garage quickly filled up with several vehicles, the largest one being the Halberd.

During the Halberd's four hour flight to the Smash Universe passed slowly and each second endured with dread. Nearly the whole time, Kirby and Dedede were fighting and causing a disruption. Meta Knight held the steering wheel with a tense grip, not pleased to be leaving his home planet. Dedede and Kirby were battling each other in the background, and the walls were left with dents from being hammered.

Meta Knight sighed, exasperated with those two. The whole time the two knew each other, they constantly were against one another. Dedede's reasons for taking an instant dislike to Kirby were still unknown. Meta Knight often questioned to himself of why those two couldn't just get along for _a few hours_?

"I ain't done with you yet, ya marshmallow! Stand still so I can clobber you!" Meta Knight heard from behind him. The two managed to find their way back into the piloting room. And for a fight to ensue would drive him insane. Breath in, breath out. They would get bored, quit and behave like civilized people…

Dedede managed to send Kirby flying and he nearly collided into the windshield. His patience wearing thin, Meta Knight found himself shouting.

"If you two cannot behave yourselves, I will throw you off the ship myself and you can walk the whole way there!" Meta Knight used that threat and it worked after hours of enduring them both. Threats like that always frightened Kirby into obeying and every time that happened, Dedede was forced to follow the rules as well: under one condition.

"Even as an official Smasher, you still are my servant. While here, it will be no different between the two of us even if we are not in Dreamland." A quick argument later, Meta Knight gave in to the King's demands. It was useless to persuade the unrelenting penguin.

"…_That's right. King Dedede is in this tournament as well. I have a bad feeling about this…"_

With one last sigh, Meta Knight took his suitcase in hand as the Halberd landed. He had been rather skeptical about coming here and now that he arrived, he felt that he may regret changing his mind about leaving home to participate in the tournament. The Smash Mansion appeared much bigger than he expected and he was sure he would get lost finding his way around for anything.

"Poyo!"

That's why he changed his mind in the first place as he was kindly reminded that he _forced_ to accept his invitation.

"…Fine Kirby, I am coming." Meta Knight took one last look at the Halberd before following Kirby up the walkway to the Smash Mansion. Since the both of them were Smashers now, he agreed to let Kirby accompany him on his battleship. Also, Kirby tagged along to be certain that Meta Knight would keep to his word. He heavily sighed again, now feeling nervous as they approached the main doors.

Kirby took one of Meta Knight's gloved hands in one of his stubby arms and gave it a reassuring squeeze as if to say, "It's all right." He smiled behind his mask. He felt a little less reluctant to open the doors.

"Me first!" shouted a voice from behind. "I'm the King, let me through!"

Meta Knight sighed in annoyance, moving out of the way for the fat and greedy blue penguin he called 'His Majesty,' whom he claimed to be his loyal servant.

After Dedede swung the door open, it nearly smashed into Meta Knight from recoil. Luckily, he had quick reflexes so he evaded the oncoming blow. Once the doors became still, he gave them a gentle push and held it open for Kirby who smiled as thanks.

As the other Smashers and newcomers gaze turned to him, Meta Knight looked away, out of place. He hastily made his way to a corner away from everyone else and settled down there. Never once did he dare look up at anyone except for Kirby who stayed by his side.

The Master Hand was in the middle of the announcement for the opening of Super Smash Brothers Brawl, the third tournament. "I am pleased that another tournament can be held. I am delighted that fifteen newcomers will be joining us for this special occasion. I hope that all of you follow the rules and make sure the newcomers feel at home. The same rules apply in this tournament as in the previous two. Those who are not familiar with how things work around here, I suggest you listen carefully. But before we get into the rules, we will allow the newcomers to introduce themselves."

The Master Hand was cut off by the sound of a faint scream in the distance. The Smashers looked around to see what it was, but it couldn't be found in view.

"What was that?" Jigglypuff asked eyes wide.

The Master Hand did not respond to that question, but instead, kept facing the opposite direction. "Everyone, remain in the main room and do not leave until I say so. Wait here until I return," he said seriously. "Please be on your best behaviour."

Though confused, everyone stayed put seated on the couches. While the Smashers were talking to each other, Meta Knight stayed by himself. As he entered the Smash Mansion, he took one last glance at the door before reflecting on his thoughts once again.

While most found a spot on the couches, Meta Knight was gazing out the window, not wishing to socialize with anyone anytime soon. He could faintly see the Master Hand in the distance until he was distracted a few minutes later by the Crazy Hand who was being his usual crazy self. The newcomers were amused by his crazy antics.

However, Meta Knight rolled his eyes and turned back to the window, not even the slightest bit interested. He soon felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see who it was, now slightly annoyed.

"Why don't you join everyone else Meta Knight?" Jigglypuff asked.

"No," Meta Knight said firmly.

"Please? It will be lots of fun."

"No. I prefer to be alone."

"Okay then. I suppose I'll leave you to yourself. It would have been more fun though if you decided to participate. You're missing out, you know…Nevermind." Jigglypuff went over to resume the games and activities.

In the last few minutes, Meta Knight saw no signs of the oversized, white hand. _"Where could he possibly be?"_ As he continued thinking, his eyes changed colours to green.

The doors swung open and in came the Master Hand, who was worried. "Everyone, as suspected I did find something suspicious. You all may want to know what I discovered."

The entire Smashers' attention turned to the Master Hand who just came back from outside. He discovered what had fallen, and to everyone's shock, it was a living being.

"What is that…thing?!" the young Smashers blurted out, unable to suppress their immediate shock.

"It kinda looks like a puffball…" Ike said, shocked like the others.

"Whatever it is, we should wait for it to wake up before deciding on an action," Marth suggested.

The Master Hand agreed. "All right everyone. Settle down." All the Smashers were certainly not expecting such an unusual event to suddenly occur, particularly the ones who had been in the first tournaments. As each one assembled in a quiet manner in the main room, the Master Hand set the puffball on a couch.

Even Meta Knight was curious about what it was. So he wouldn't appear suspicious, he sat on the nearest couch to the puffball and tried to act normal. He slowly shifted his gaze towards the couch beside him.

The puffball on the couch appeared to a light shade of purple and almost the same size as him. She had dark brown hair which was held up in a high ponytail and bangs covering almost half of her face. She wore gloves on both of her hands each accompanied by a gorgeous bracelet. She also wore jet black shoes. The mysterious puffball slowly opened her eyes, now regaining consciousness. The one eye that was visible appeared to be a beautiful, chocolate brown. Fear immediately struck her along with confusion.

"Master Hand, she-a has awoken," Luigi said.

"I see," the Master Hand replied, now hovering over to the puffball.

The puffball looked at him strangely. "W-Who are you…Where a-am I?" Her gaze shifted from one Smasher to the other, her expression demanding an answer.

"I am the Master Hand, manager of the Super Smash Brothers Tournaments. You are in the Smash Mansion at the present moment, in the Smashers' residence," the Master Hand replied. "I assume you have no place to go?"

The puffball nodded.

"Perhaps you would like to stay here then. I hope you do not mind being roommates with one of the Smashers."

"I don't mind," the puffball said softly, voice barely audible.

The Master Hand put up the list of roommates on the wall a few minutes later. Some were pleased with who they were paired up with, some were in misery. The puffball didn't mind being paired up with Meta Knight. She could tell he wasn't social either. At least there wouldn't be any demand for an exchange of words.

"What is your name?" the Master Hand asked her as the others were heading up to their rooms.

"…Malvara."

"Could you please escort Malvara to your bedroom Meta Knight?" the Master Hand asked him.

Meta Knight nodded in reply.

"Would you prefer to eat in the bedroom today?" the Master Hand said, turning to Malvara. "It will be crowded at the cafeteria, being the first day of the Tournament and all."

Malvara nodded. "Thank you."

The Master Hand turned to Meta Knight afterwards. "After you show her the way to the bedroom, could you bring Malvara her dinner?"

"Yes."

"Thank you very much. Hopefully, I will see you both tomorrow for the meeting." With that, the Master Hand headed towards his office.

Malvara quietly followed Meta Knight to the bedroom. She was extremely nervous the whole way up there. She remembered passing by some creepy dark lord or something and a huge penguin. At this point, doubt found its way into her thoughts. How would she ever adjust to this kind of lifestyle?

After going up the elevator to the third floor, the bedroom door was in sight. Meta Knight held it open for her and they were both in the room, it closed shut.

The room was very spacious with two very big beds and dressers to store possessions. In between the beds was a fairly large balcony showing an excellent view. The next half an hour was spent into unpacking and settling into the rooms.

By the time it was supper, everyone was very hungry, and however, Meta Knight and Malvara were exceptions. She was intimidated by the sounds of everyone rushing downstairs. Frantic footsteps were accompanied with the combination of everyone nearly speaking at the same time. How she wanted to reconsider having Meta Knight bring her supper. It seemed unfair to have this bestowed upon him when he was still trying to adjust too.

"I'm not doing this by my own free will, this was an order. Remember that."

The loud noises didn't stop Meta Knight though. He slowly opened the door and gently closed it behind him. As he proceeded down the hallway, Snake raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Nice girlfriend," he whispered to Meta Knight.

"Shut up," Meta Knight said under his breath. "She is not my girlfriend."

Snake was simply amused by his response, eyebrows still raised.

Luckily for Meta Knight, he was one of the first ones in line at the cafeteria. He avoided the gaze of every Smasher as he waited for the meal to be ready. However, the waitress was attempting to talk to him.

"So, you're a newcomer to the Super Smash Brothers Tournaments?"

In response, Meta Knight simply nodded.

"Did you meet any new Smashers yet?"

"No."

The waitress looked at him seriously and spoke in a low voice so only he could hear. "If I were you, I would watch out for those guys over there." She pointed towards the table where Dedede, Wolf, Wario, Ganondorf and Bowser sat. "Watch out for that no-good penguin. He's a troublemaker, I'm certain of it."

"Definitely," Meta Knight said under his breath.

"Did you say something?"

"No, nothing."

Though unconvinced, the waitress dropped the subject. She handed him the dinner tray giving him a wink. "I guess I see you later then."

Meta Knight quickly nodded and walked as fast as he could up to the bedroom. Behind him, Kirby, Jigglypuff, Ness, Lucas, Yoshi and Toon Link were silently following him. This idea was gladly concocted by Jigglypuff after hearing what Snake said a few minutes ago.

"I-I'm n-not sure if this is a good idea," Lucas said, stuttering. "This d-doesn't seem right. How exactly do you know that Meta Knight was bringing supper for s-someone else?"

"I heard Snake talking about it in the cafeteria just recently. I just had to see what he meant by girlfriend. I mean, aren't you curious?" Jigglypuff replied cheerfully, yet with enthusiasm.

"N-Not really."

"If you're not interested, you can go back to the cafeteria." Toon Link said focused intently on being stealthy. "Some of us are actually interested."

"I-I don't want to g-go back. Fine, I'll go…" The thought of more wedgies was enough for Lucas to reconsider. However, this fear was often used against him, like now.

"Poyo!" Kirby said happily at his change of mind, oblivious to Lucas' misery.

They all listened intently as Meta Knight entered the room. They hoped to hear conversation from outside the door, but they heard absolutely nothing. The eerie silence unnerved everyone. Gradually, they were getting bored. They would have given up if it wasn't for Jigglypuff's enthusiasm, or some would say, false hope. Soon enough, Yoshi was sleeping in the corner a few minutes later, proving that point.

In attempting to stay quiet (and awake), it took them a while to notice that Ness was missing from the group. "Hey, has anyone seen Ness? He was here a while ago." Jigglypuff asked.

Everyone shrugged except for Yoshi was still snoozing. They were all startled when the hallway door opened. In the doorway, stood a small figure, apparently another Smasher.

"We're sorry that we were spying! We were only curious about this all because of Snake. Please don't tell Meta Knight or the Master Hand!" Jigglypuff automatically shouted, thinking another Smasher caught them spying.

Ness looked confused, now holding a lollypop and some candy. "Why are you shouting for? I was only getting dessert."

Jigglypuff turned beet red and looked down sheepishly. "Oh, whoops."

Then the doorknob slowly turned from Meta Knight and Malvara's bedroom. Lucas heard that and jumped onto the table nearly, took off the lampshade for the lamp and put it on his head to disguise himself. Everyone else fled in several directions back downstairs. They would have laughed at Lucas' choice for a hiding spot if the situation hadn't been so frantic.

Meta Knight was confused at the sudden noise as he left the room to take the tray back to the cafeteria, but dismissed it quickly. It didn't really matter anyway, at least when others never concerned him.

"So," Jigglypuff said as she and the group settled back at the dinner table. "Are we going to spy again?"

"No way!" Toon Link said, groaning. "It was like Silent Night in that room. Those two are boring! They hardly ever talk. Why would we want to spy on them again? Eavesdropping on _Snake_ would be more satisfying!"

Jigglypuff sighed. "I suppose so."

Yoshi groaned in agreement, slumping in his seat.

Ness wasn't listening to the others, but was busy eating more dessert. This time, Lucas was missing from the group. He was still hiding as a lamp still trying to hide. Kirby kept himself occupied by inhaling more food. Overall, their mission was a complete and utter failure resulting in a couple unhappy Smashers.

An amused figure stood in the shadows, watching them. "So, they decided to investigate. Perhaps that is something I should try someday. My theory just may prove correct." Faint laughter filled the darkness, yet unheard to everyone else around.

Next up on the Brawl schedule was bedtime which was the craziest time of the day. The Smashers were so excited about the third tournament that they wouldn't be able to sleep much that night. From past experiences, the Master Hand seemed to know this so he made an announcement as the Smashers were getting ready for bed.

Meta Knight, who never slept at a regular time, was reading a book. He kept his nighttime table lamp on to provide enough light to make out the text on the pages, but not bright enough to keep Malvara awake.

"Ahem, attention all Smashers. I am well aware that this is your first night at the Smash Mansion for the tournament and will have troubles sleeping tonight. For that reason, you may stay up as long as you like as long as you remain in your bedroom only. Also, you may sleep in if you like. Good night everyone and I hope you sleep well. Remember there is a meeting after lunch in the cafeteria tomorrow."

Many cheers could be heard in the hallways after the announcement. Meta Knight sighed in annoyance and closed the bedroom door shut, irritated that it slipped his mind. Though everyone else seemed happy, that was not the case for him. If it wasn't for Kirby, he wouldn't have been persuaded into accepting the invitation to Super Smash Brothers Brawl. He knew how persistent Kirby could be based on several past experiences. He gave up on reading so he placed his book on his table after marking his place.

Meta Knight placed a stool by the windowsill and sat on it to gaze up at the stars. He wasn't intending on getting any sleep having been invited out of his home planet to another dimension with several strangers he didn't even know. He was grateful Kirby was a Smasher too, but for King Dedede, he felt disappointed. He remembered what the waitress told him when he was downstairs at suppertime getting Malvara's dinner.

"_Watch out for that no-good penguin. He's a troublemaker, I'm certain of it."_

The waitress had only witnessed a day of having Dedede around. Soon enough, she wouldn't want him in the tournament. Her comment held so much truth as she will unfortunately discover in the future.

And to make arriving at the Smash Mansion even stranger, some odd puffball that was called Malvara had been found on the grounds near the stadium. She was chosen to be his roommate, but luckily she wasn't social either. Meta Knight didn't like to talk to others and preferred to be alone. Malvara seemed to be that way as well, and not only that, she kind of looked similar to him. He cleared that thought from his mind. That was the last thing he wanted to ponder about at the moment.

Meta Knight turned a little bit to see if Malvara was in bed or not. She lay on the bed under the covers appearing content. Satisfied that she fell asleep quickly, he stood on the stool and jumped onto the windowsill, not wanting to use his wings. The night sky twinkled with the beautiful glow of the stars in the arrangement of gorgeous constellations. He wrapped his cape around himself for comfort providing him the feelings of safety and security.

He refused to admit it aloud, but he sort of missed his home planet, Dreamland. How he hoped he would adjust to his new life as a Smasher soon.

The next morning, Meta Knight slowly awoke to the sounds of excited screams coming from the cafeteria. He gradually sat up, still feeling exhaustion. Realization dawned upon him when he remembered that he never got into bed last night. If he did, he would never have had any blankets over him. He decided not to think about that. Getting through the morning came first on his list of priorities.

After making his bed, he read one of his books he brought with him. At least he could keep himself busy until the meeting. That plan only lasted a few minutes before his mind screamed at him to put the book down and reflect instead. He sighed. That was the usual way of his mind to focus on concepts in which he was not sure of, like how he got into bed without getting there himself. That would be a place for his mind to wonder first…

Suddenly, his stomach rumbled loudly, reminding him that he didn't have breakfast yet. Sighing with annoyance, he stood from his bed and began to make his way downstairs. Knowing the Smashers, they would be talking the whole morning about the excitement of being in the tournament…and the room would be crowded. Eating alone in the bedroom seemed like a nice plan.

Meanwhile from the shadows in the hallway, a small smile crept on Malvara's face as she watched Meta Knight go down to the cafeteria.

"So," the Master Hand said as everyone finally took a seat quietly in the meeting room which had vastly been upgraded since Melee. "Do I have everyone's undivided attention?" As he spoke, everyone could faintly hear faint squeaks from a chair in the back. If the Master Hand had a face, he would have glared at the villains.

Wario and Dedede were chuckling to each other, when they felt the vibe of a glare directed at them. They shrunk down in their seats and instantly went quiet. Lucas whimpered from the unnerving silence and accidentally fell from his seat, then landed with a thud.

The Master Hand's patience was wearing thin in a matter of seconds. "The meeting, please?" Everyone nodded and stayed quiet this time. "As you all may have noticed, we have fifteen newcomers to the Tournament of Super Smash Brothers Brawl. You may stand as I call your name and introduce yourselves. Ike, you may begin."

Malvara watched the meeting staying as quiet as possible. Truth to tell, her mind wondered somewhere else while the newcomers told the others about themselves. Meta Knight didn't say more than a few words, only his own name and she could tell by his posture as he sat back down that he was as distant and quiet as she predicted him to be.

Lucas, however, was not so quiet. The poor boy's expression was identical to that as if Bowser confessed a terrible secret of being a ballerina graceful on the stage in a tutu. Even that was an understatement. Aside from the whimpers of fear here and there, he managed to say his name. Ness, oblivious to his friend's terror congratulated him on a great job. Toon Link, Jigglypuff and Kirby began clapping.

The Master Hand sighed exasperated. "On with the meeting…?" As if on cue, the applause died down and everything became still once more. "Thank you. Now as I understand that you are excited to be in Super Smash Brothers Brawl, but I would appreciate that you all listen to me when I am speaking." Many heads nodded in response. "On with the meeting! First off, we need to make the rules very clear and what behaviours are inappropriate. Disregard these rules completely and you will be punished according to your actions. Crazy Hand, if you may,"

The Crazy Hand came in nearly breaking the door and handed his brother a scroll. This was a rare day when the Crazy Hand wasn't having a coffee fit.

"Thank you," the Master Hand said, unrolling the scroll on a very long table. "First off, you will all treat each other with respect. I understand that some of you know each other very well and do not get along well, but I expect you to behave yourself. The Smash Mansion is not a stadium, it is a place of residence. Also, you will be given responsibilities while you are here such as cleaning and the like, but that should not be too difficult."

Malvara listened as the Master Hand kept talking about the rules and responsibilities, though not paying attention. Too many worries occupied her at the moment to really care about a Tournament that didn't relate to her.

Like the day previously, Malvara stayed up in the bedroom she shared with Meta Knight. She didn't ask him to bring her dinner, also because her stomach felt too sick to handle anything. Though this place was much better than what she was accustomed to, she still found loneliness inevitable.

Malvara climbed into bed and pulled the covers over herself tightly. Only then did she notice the moon high up in the starry sky. Her eyes widened in wonder seeing the new sight. Never had she seen a sky as beautiful as the one she was witnessing at the present moment. Night had not fully settled in yet so the sky was a shade of midnight blue, almost the colour of Meta Knight. Annoyed at the unexpected thought bubble, she cast it aside with irritation.

"_This is a life I never expected to experience in my wildest daydreams. Perhaps I will wake up tomorrow morning and find myself back into reality. What an illusion this must be. This lifestyle is so pointless; one moment I was miserable, next I end up here in a fighting arena. Which is worse? I suppose I'll find the answer to that in time…"_


	2. Bonding Trust

_Author's Note: Because of the awesome feedback, I'm updating the next chapter earlier as a special treat. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You are all awesome! Also, I put an updating timeline on my profile page by my avatar so you can check it out to see when I may update the next chapters for my novel. __This chapter is more exciting than the last one; it gets much better after this!_

_Disclaimer: *see chapter 1*_

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Bonding Trust: Chapter Two

Malvara's eyes slowly fluttered open to the sound of the grandfather clock in the bedroom striking two in the morning. The chiming echoed softly off the walls, gradually fading until the room became as silent as it had been before. With a sigh, she tossed and turned in bed tightening her grip on the blankets. Her gaze quickly shifted over to Meta Knight for a brief second, who didn't seem affected by the noise.

She sighed burying her face into the soft pillow. Malvara only knew him for about three weeks and they didn't speak to each other much. Then again, neither of them said a word to anyone either and were satisfied in being alone in their own personal life. Malvara had gone to the Master Hand's office after the meeting three weeks ago to make it clear that she would not fight in any brawls or practice in the training rooms. Every night she would stay in the bedroom or sometimes the roof, and simply gaze up at the beauty of the starry sky.

What Malvara didn't like about being in the Smash Mansion was the brawls scheduled every weekday. As a rule, even for those who are not Smashers, all had to be seated in the audience five minutes before the brawl began to watch it. Most of the time, her mind would wonder to usually similar topics instead of gazing up those fighting each other, eager to win the battle; to triumph over their opponent. The noise was something she could do without.

"_So pointless. When all can be peaceful, why fight at all?"_

On the contrary, the Smash Mansion also held her promise that this life may be better for her than her previous one. Weekends were usually quieter than when brawls were scheduled; a serene silence that eased her being when spending more time isolated from those outside her 'bubble' so to say. That only lasted about a week or two before Jigglypuff attempted to speak to her. Malvara, of course, felt shocked at the friendly gesture and as time passed by, she talked a little more with her, but always felt intimidated with her friends around.

"_Well, maybe after some time, this place may not be as bad as I first thought. Maybe in a week or so I'll change my mind."_

Malvara smiled to herself now that she felt a bit better after sorting those thoughts. Now sleep sounded like a great idea. She turned towards the wall, pulling the covers over her body allowing herself to rest for the morning. Perhaps with time she could adjust.

--

The sun slowly rose over the horizon, the darkness slowly vanishing as another day began. In the distance, birds were chirping as the new day promised plenty of sunshine. A pleasant, warm April breeze blew through the open window of the bedrooms.

At precisely six in the morning, the only sound in the hallway was the creaking of a door slowly opening. Malvara peeked around both corners careful that the area was vacant before proceeding down the hallway. Three weeks into the routine and she still needed to spend time finding her way around the Smash Mansion.

Her gloved hand reached towards the elevator button and it slowly opened; one of the few technologies she did recognize. She selected to go down to the main room. As the doors closed, Malvara thought she heard someone awakening but didn't think anything of it. After all, pure silence was scarce in the Smash Universe.

She made her way out of the elevator after it came to a halt. Each step towards the wall map of the Smash Mansion was silent, soundless, quiet. If even one living being accompanied her in that same room, she would never have been heard. With a swift flick of her wrist, the door in front of her opened without any sort of audible noise in its movement.

Malvara closed the door gently behind her and turned on the lights, trying to figure out where she was. As according to the map, she was currently in the Smash Mansion garage where all methods of transportation were kept safe. Not all were vehicles; one was a Mr. Saturn in a pigpen eating from its food tray. Beside it was Epona, Link's horse he loved so much. She looked up curiously from her food to see who was approaching. Malvara gazed back at the beautiful horse without blinking an eye in the few minutes they stared at each other. Eventually, Epona grew bored and decided to lie down. A small smile creeped onto Malvara's face as she continued to see what the other vehicles were.

Alongside the stalls for Epona and Mr. Saturn, there was a couple Arwings, Landmasters, Olimar's and Samus' spaceships, a Kong Barrel Racecar, the King of Red Lions floating in a large fish tank and the largest of all, the Halberd. Malvara stared at the size of the ship in awe being the largest ship she ever saw in her lifetime.

"_Who could possibly own ship this big?"_ Malvara thought, jaw still dropped slightly. Her visible eye noted that the front of the ship looked exactly like Meta Knight's mask. Both eyes widened. _"Wow…he must be the one that owns that ship, whatever it is called. I thought I heard him call it the Halberd before…"_

"Surprised?" came a deep voice from behind her. Malvara jumped when she saw Meta Knight suddenly appear from no where.

"Oh, I didn't see you there! You startled me," Malvara replied, heart rate slightly slowing down.

"I apologize," Meta Knight said, taking a few steps toward the Halberd. "Would I be correct to assume that my ship surprised you?"

"Well, yes…" Malvara admitted, looking down. Meta Knight's mysterious ways still intimidated her; he always caught her by surprise in how he would handle situations or even how he spoke. "I never did see a ship that big before." She had to force those words after being awestruck for a long while.

"I doubt most people have either. From seeing all these miniature vehicles, it must be uncommon to see large ships these days."

Malvara looked uncertain. "The others seem large to me though." She turned around to see where Meta Knight went, but he was gone. Malvara though she heard echoing off the walls, "You've much yet to learn."

--

"Boo!" Ness said playfully as his friend Lucas entered the cafeteria.

Lucas screamed and hid behind Toon Link who gave him an odd look. "N-Ness, what was that f-for?!"

"It's April Fool's Day!" Jigglypuff answered for Ness, following the others. "Has anyone seen Yoshi or Kirby yet? I hadn't seen them yet today."

"They're sleeping, most likely. That's mainly what those two do anyway," Toon Link replied, rolling his eyes. "At least, besides eating."

"You shouldn't be so hard on them," Jigglypuff said with sympathy. "It's not their fault if they like certain hobbies, even if it is sleeping and eating. It's not like they are harming anything."

Toon Link looked sheepish. "Well, except the snacks that is."

Jigglypuff opened her mouth to speak but suddenly as she passed through the doorway, a bucket of cold water spilled over her, drenching her form completely. She shivered, but was glaring. "All right, who did that? I damand to know!"

Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong high fived each other on the opposite side of the wall. When they heard Jigglypuff's angry scream, they looked at each other for a moment before saying, "Let's retreat for now."

"Cowards!" Jigglypuff said when she heard two pairs of footsteps run in the opposite direction from her. She sighed with aggravation while drying herself off.

Toon Link looked like he was going to start laughing when a claw grabbed him by the hat and dragged him out of the room. The screams and sinister chuckling echoed down the hallway.

Kirby and Yoshi finally woke up looking at the confused faces of Jigglypuff, Ness and Lucas.

Ness shrugged. "Toon Link should be all right. After all, it was only Wolf. Nothing to worry about."

"By the way, as anyone seen Lucas?" Jigglypuff asked.

--

Malvara stayed in the garage for a couple hours after Meta Knight had disappeared into thin air. She still wondered how he did that. Her thoughts were interrupted by a terrified scream coming from the bathroom. She shuddered not wanting to know what was going on. However, part of her was curious having heard screams every five minutes since the clock in the garage struck eight.

She glanced at the calendar beside the door. A red circle was drawn around the number one in the section called April. Squinting, she saw small black text under the number reading, "April Fools Day."

Shrugging, she opened the door thinking nothing of it. Malvara never heard of such a thing before and she really didn't care. That is until she saw a bucket of freezing water fall from the doorway, acting as a trap. She stiffened up and closed her eyes, waiting for the water to drench her completely.

A few long moments passed without anything happening, at least, for Malvara. She slowly opened her eyes only to see she saw on the opposite side of the room. She blinked for a minute trying to figure out what happened. The bucket of water lay spilled on the tiled floor far away from her, but in the same spot she was in not too long ago.

Her fists tightened. _"There has to be some sort of explanation. Otherwise, I am certain this crazy place is causing me to go insane."_ As she opened the main doors to go for a peaceful walk, amber eyes watched her every movement.

Malvara sighed a breath of relief once she closed the doors behind her. Only then did she realize she didn't have breakfast, but she hardly cared. Her stomach wasn't included on her list of priorities.

The cool Spring breeze relaxed her and it only helped more that she wasn't in the Smash Mansion. She may as well get to know the place from the outside too. Around the corner was a shining lake surrounded by shady trees and a couple of small buildings. _"This may be used as a swimming pool."_

Beside it was an attractive, alluring fountain surrounded by a large garden of several varieties of flowers. Intrigued, she took a few steps towards it. The slight spray of the water was soothing, but she was more surprised by the roses, tulips, sunflowers, pansies, cosmos and lilies carefully planted in a tidy arrangement. Each shone with scarlet, blazing orange, honey, indigo and violet colours too beautiful to be real. Malvara never saw such a gorgeous sight before and it attracted to its unreal qualities.

"Come on! I'll race you to the lake!" Toon Link shouted in the distance. Behind him were Kirby, Yoshi, Jigglypuff and a traumatized Lucas, who apparently has been spooked by the Crazy Hand. Malvara ignored them, not wanting to make her presence known. Socializing had never been on her list of strengths.

Jigglypuff nearly jumped into the lake, but suddenly stopped at the edge. Someone was nearby, towards the garden she assumed. As she shifted her gaze, the figure ducked down to prevent from being seen. Jigglypuff took small, cautious steps in the opposite direction of the lake to see who was there.

"Hey Jigglypuff? Why aren't you at the lake yet?" Toon Link asked, Kirby saying 'poyo' in unison.

"Shhhh!" She hissed, silencing them. "I thought I heard someone. Everyone, be quiet." None made a move as she approached the garden suspiciously. Her eyes widened as she turned around the corner. "Malvara, is that you?"

Malvara immediately stood up, and by instincts, thought she was in danger. She desperately wanted to run, but she found herself frozen in place. "W-What do you want with me?" The tone sounded accusing, yet intimidating.

"It's all right Malvara, it's only us," Jigglypuff reassured, calming down her friend.

Malvara relaxed immediately. "I'm sorry," she said in barely a whisper. "I didn't realize it was you."

"Don't worry about that. I would have been scared too," Jigglypuff said with understanding. "I see you noticed the garden."

"Yes, it was noisy inside so I decided to come out here."

"You too? Well, today is April Fools Day so that would explain why it has been chaotic inside," Jigglypuff replied.

"What exactly is April Fools Day?" Malvara asked.

Jigglypuff seemed a little shocked by the question. "April Fool Day comes once a year when everyone plays pranks on each other, at least for this place. The whole day becomes chaos with all the mischief that happens. Revenge also adds to that. Like you, we all didn't like the noise so we went outside too."

"Jigglypuff's just mad because someone pulled a prank on her and doesn't want to be teased if everyone found out!" Toon Link said, with a smirk on his face.

"Says the guy who ended up getting a wedgie from Wolf," Jigglypuff retaliated, causing his grin to disappear. "You're one to talk."

"I hate Wolf," Toon Link muttered under his breath. The others laughed except for Malvara, her expression maintaining no trace of emotion. Jigglypuff, Toon Link, Lucas, Ness, Kirby and Yoshi knew her long enough to get used to it by now, but they accepted that.

"Well," Jigglypuff said, trying not to laugh as to pronounce a full sentence correctly. "I guess you'll have to get revenge on Wolf later then Toon Link."

"You bet I will! Speaking of revenge," a mischievous smile spread across his face. "I was wondering what I was going to do with the extra supply of superspicy curry that the Master Hand accidentally ordered. I think I have the perfect plan. You all have to come to the cafeteria at supper to see my plan in action!"

"Sure, no problem. Right guys?" Jigglypuff agreed.

"I'll come!" Ness said, grinning. Lucas merely nodded reluctantly at the thought of going back inside. Kirby and Yoshi did a happy dance in reply to the question. Malvara looked down at the ground.

"Sorry, but I won't be there."

Jigglypuff nodded in understanding. "All right then. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow then okay? Well, see you later Malvara." In only a few seconds, the group became faint silhouettes in the distance.

--

She said she wouldn't be there, promised herself to stay in her room and not come out until morning. This counted as a time when the quote, 'curiosity killed the cat,' would fit in her life. _"No, I will not be at the cafeteria tonight," _she thought, but the urge to witness Toon Link's plot for revenge got the best of her. Malvara hated it when her emotions betrayed her.

She peeked around the doorway to see what was going on. As planned, Toon Link was heading to the storage room to collect what he believed were the superspicy curries. He made sure no one besides his friends were around before bargaining with the waitress. She gave in to his request, but she didn't seem pleased.

One not among the group watched in the shadows as Toon Link's revenge was being put into action. He had to admit, April Fools Day was amusing. Other Smashers could be full of surprises.

Toon Link met up with the rest of the group and Malvara who had stood guard to make sure no one else was coming. "The plan's done! All we have to do now is wait. Everyone should be coming to supper now."

Malvara hid the shadows while the other Smashers passed by to get something to eat and thankfully, they did not notice her. She was about to take a glance around the corner when she felt an arm touch hers. A gasp of shock escaped her while the other figure pulled away. Malvara saw that it was Meta Knight. If he did seem startled by their sudden encounter, she would never have been able to tell. "S-Sorry," she quickly said, looking away. She made a fool of herself in front of him and was now too nervous to look his way.

"Do not worry about that. I am not angry at you," he replied in a caring manner.

"Why are you here? I thought you would be in the bedroom with all these pranks and such." Malvara asked, not too ashamed to look at him again.

Under the mask, Meta Knight smiled. "Like you, I also wish to see everyone plot their revenge. I'm sure by now that _their_ plan is taking effect."

"Their? What are you talking about?"

"You'll see."

Malvara looked around the corner to see Wolf taking his first bite of his dinner. She still pondered over what Meta Knight told her. He was always mysterious like that. So far, nothing out of the ordinary happened, but within a few seconds, Wolf was reaching for a glass of water trying to cool down his mouth from the spice. However, his roommate was eating the curry that Toon Link made.

Part of the plan took a twist because Wolf glared in Toon Link direction when he saw that he was the first one laughing, bringing suspicion. Toon Link seemed to realize he was accused of the prank because he ran out of the cafeteria before anyone could say, 'Wolf.'

When Wolf left chasing after Toon Link, Fox and Falco high fived each other. Toon Link realized he grabbed mild curry instead of superspicy so someone else must have pulled that prank on Wolf. While his roommate who ate at the same table ate the mild curry Toon Link accidentally took, someone else committed the prank and he was paying for it.

"Ahhh! Somebody save me!" Toon Link said, more in a squeak than a scream for help. He turned the corner and collided into Malvara who had been heading upstairs to the bedroom. Toon Link would have apologized if he wasn't in a frightening situation. Malvara lay dazed on the ground as more footsteps came in her direction. She tried to stand, but with some difficulty.

Wolf rounded the corner with no hesitance, but stopped in his tracks seeing Malvara. A smirk made its way to his face. "Well, well, puffball. I see we finally meet. I must say that I was surprised that you were the one that meddled with my dinner. At first I thought it was that annoying kid Toon Link, but it all makes sense now."

"W-What do you mean? I never-" Wolf raised his gun to silence her.

"Clever thinking puffball, hiding in the shadows while waiting for your little joke to commence. If it was Toon Link, he would never have gave himself away like that, even though he doesn't make the best decisions sometimes. Encountering you wasn't expected, but perhaps it may finish the day with perfection, don't you agree?"

"No, sorry," Malvara said hastily, wishing to fall in the ground and turn invisible out of Wolf's sight. "I'm not sure why I am dragged into this, but I damand you stop accusing me for something I didn't do!" A laser whizzed by her body, missing it by an inch.

"Come again?" Wolf said, no longer speaking in a taunting manner. "Perhaps you would like to discuss this _with my gun_? When you speak to me, hold your tongue. I'm giving you a fair warning for your own good."

"You are not ordering me around! Get lost and leave me alone. All I ever wanted was to go to _my room_ and get some _peace and quiet_ away from _everyone else_! Is that too much to ask?" Malvara snapped, almost shouting to her surprise. She had enough of Wolf getting in her way.

"You will pay dearly for that, low lifeform!" Wolf aimed his gun at her and prepared to fire when a sword came down and slashed it in half. Meta Knight landed in front of Malvara, sword drawn, glaring towards Wolf. The gun shattered, no longer useable.

"If you dare threaten her again Wolf, I promise that you will suffer in the most horrific way possible. I demand you leave immediately. I warn you that I will not hold back on my word," Meta Knight forewarned, sword still pointed towards Wolf.

Wolf glared back in reply. "One of these days, you will regret crossing the line with me. This is not over yet. I will be back for my revenge_, I promise you._" With that, he turned his back on them and stormed off.

"Is it safe to come out?" Toon Link asked fearfully, hiding under a lamp shade like Lucas did when they were spying.

"Yes, Toon Link, he is gone. He won't bother you now," Meta Knight assured. "Malvara, follow me."

Malvara obeyed, taking steps she feared were too small towards him as they went back to the bedroom. She was too nervous and scared from her close call to say anything.

As Meta Knight closed the door behind them, she waited for him to speak first, not sure what to say to him. She expected him to turn around from the window and say something. Instead he turned on his bedroom table lamp and laid on his bed lost in his own thoughts.

Malvara decided that she had to be the one to start the conversation. "Um…thanks for helping me out back there Meta Knight. I…really appreciated it." She sighed when her throat tightened up preventing her from saying anything more. _"Oh well, I was done talking anyway. It probably doesn't matter to him."_

She was about to close her eyes and sleep when she heard a deep voice say, "You're welcome. It was the least I could do for you. Sleep well Malvara. Tomorrow will be another long day." Malvara looked up in shock and saw that Meta Knight was facing her.

"All right. Make sure you get enough sleep too." Malvara suddenly came up with an idea to repay Meta Knight for his kindness. "Uh, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"I…was planning on having a picnic tomorrow for lunch and…I was wondering if you wanted to accompany me…" Malvara regretted that idea now. _"Great going. Now I made everything a lot worse. He isn't the kind to associate with others, let alone on picnics. What was I thinking?"_

"I would love to Malvara. In fact, I even know a spot that we could visit. You will see tomorrow. It would not be a surprise if I told you, am I right?"

"Oh, don't worry, I love surprises. I'll be looking forward to tomorrow. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight Malvara." Before she drifting off to sleep, she thought she heard a faint chuckle coming from Meta Knight before all went black.

--

The next morning after everyone had breakfast and spent Sunday morning doing whatever they wanted, Lucas agreed to join his friends in riding their bicycles to Nintendoville to watch a movie. Lucas remembered that he kept his bicycle in the garage chained to the wall so no one would steal it; especially the day before.

The door slowly opened, and to Lucas' relief, only Meta Knight and Malvara were present in the room. The Halberd door was opening by the time Lucas was adjusting his bicycle helmet. Malvara was carrying a picnic basket while Meta Knight guided her through the ship to the pilot room.

Lucas sat down on the seat and held both handles tightly with his hands. He was ready to ride his bike to the Smash Mansion entrance to meet up with the group…

"_Wow, this ship is amazing,"_ Malvara thought as she gazed out the window. She set down the picnic basket by the door securing it for the flight.

"Are you ready?" Meta Knight asked her, once she found a comfortable place to sit. She nodded, too amazed to speak. "All right then." He pressed a few buttons and the engines began to start up. The ground beneath shook a little, almost throwing Lucas off balance.

As the Halberd began to rise above the ground, Lucas found his bike ascending too. He looked behind him to see that his bike had not been chained to the wall all along, but to the Halberd which was preparing for flight mode. A fearful look spread across his face. "Oh no! Somebody help me!!!"

In no more than a few seconds, his bike was completely suspended in mid-air. A scream filled the garage and possibly the whole first floor of the mansion. Unfortunately for Lucas, the engines of the Halberd were so loud, neither Meta Knight nor Malvara could hear it.

Malvara's awe never stopped seeing the ground become a distant shadow up in the sky. The beautiful sight amazed her to no end and she pondered what this would look like if it was sunset. Beautiful indeed. A sigh of content escaped her by instinct.

"Amazed?" came Meta Knight's voice. She turned to see him gazing at her from the steering wheel. "Have you not seen something like this before?"

"I haven't…Wow, I never thought flying would be this relaxing," Malvara replied, now smiling a little. "How often do you do this?"

"Flying the Halberd? To be honest, I cannot remember how long exactly, but I know for certain it has been years."

"Meta Knight? Do you see that? That thing, way down there!" Malvara pointed in the direction of Lucas on his bike dangling from the Halberd. Meta Knight seemed surprised to see that.

"Is that an unidentified flying bicycle? Shoot it down with the laser," he commanded to one of his crew members. A blue laser came from the cannon sending Lucas flying towards the Smash Mansion at mach speed. "Thank you. It seems to be gone now."

--

"Wow, this is a great spot for a picnic Meta Knight. No wonder you kept it a surprise," said Malvara. They were both eating the sandwiches and cut up vegetables they prepared earlier that morning. They decided to have the picnic in a peaceful meadow; one too unique to be seen near the Smash Mansion and where they could have their privacy. The spot had simply been perfect for the occasion.

"It is isn't it?" Meta Knight agreed after putting the last bit of his sandwich under his mask to eat it. Malvara thought it looked funny at first because it looked like he was eating his hand instead of his food. After a while, it became normal to see. "I do prefer going here for a picnic. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, definitely." Malvara finished her lunch and now they were talking to each other, sharing the longest conversation they ever had. "You know, I want to ask you something."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Why did you save me from Wolf last night?" A moment of silence followed her question, while Meta Knight thought about it carefully.

"You were accused for something you did not do, and therefore you did not deserve the consequences from the actions of another. Wolf went too far and I could not let him harm you, no matter what." His eyes closed halfway, trying to relax against the tree. "No one should be treated like that, revenge or not."

"Oh," was all Malvara could manage to say. She took one more sip from her juice not sure what to do next.

Meta Knight seemed uncertain. "Is something wrong Malvara?"

"No, not really, it's just been an exhausting day that's all." Meta Knight motioned for her to continue drinking her juice. Though confused, she obeyed without any hesitance. Surprisingly, she did feel a little better than she had before.

"I must agree that today has been exhausting. The picnic certainly was enjoyable."

When Malvara looked towards him again, she saw that his eyes were green. A small gasp escaped her. Meta Knight was about to say something when she disguised her shock as a cough. He still looked worried, but Malvara quickly spoke up. "Sorry, it's all right. I swallowed the wrong way, nothing serious."

He gazed towards the sky slowly transforming into a sunset. "I suppose we should be heading back now."

Malvara nodded. She assisted him with packing up the basket, leftovers and carrying it back to the Halberd. "It was really enjoyable spending time with you," she said, smiling. "I enjoy your company."

A feeling of happiness and joy found its way to Meta Knight's heart. He softly chuckled. "I enjoy your company too." Before they went aboard the Halberd to go back to the Smash Mansion, his eyes flickered blue for a moment.

"_Perhaps someone does care for me after all." _

**

The sky glowed a blazing orange by the time the Halberd returned to the Smash Mansion. Meta Knight offered to carry the basket back and hold the doors open for her. Malvara realized that inside, deep down, he had a kind heart. Quietly saying another thank you, she left for the bedroom and as she turned the corner, she could have sworn she heard a soft chuckle.

As she passed by another, Jigglypuff was at her side, demanding to know what happened.

"I was out on a picnic with Meta Knight," Malvara replied honestly. Jigglypuff's jaw dropped.

"You went on a _picnic _with _Meta Knight_?" She asked disbelievingly. "He never talks to anyone! How is that possible?"

"He seemed to enjoy my company though." Malvara gazed at the setting sun at the window. "But I have a feeling he is much more than he allows others to see…Nevermind, I need to be alone for a while. I have a lot on my mind I need to sort out."

"All right then," Jigglypuff replied, smiling as if she knew something Malvara was not aware of. "I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow?"

Malvara nodded, then the door silently closed behind her.


	3. Mysterious Guest After Twilight

Mysterious Guest after Twilight: Chapter Three

The Master Hand was looking through brochures of island vacations. He thought the Smashers needed time away from the Smash Mansion to relax. One brochure caught his interest: an exotic city vacation with a deluxe hotel, all you-can-eat buffets, parties and many activities close by. They would need to get there by bus. The Master Hand knew he could arrange it easily.

Thanks to his idea, the Smashers were spending the whole morning packing up for the long trip. To some, it was straightforward and simple, but to others, it was a difficult struggle. Packing was worse than a what-should-I-wear morning rush.

Meta Knight was already done in the first two minutes. He had only packed a couple novels, headache medicine, two towels just in case and a "How to Deal with a Vacation Created by the Master Hand," advice book. Malvara packed a couple towels, an umbrella, shawl, a camera given to her by Jigglypuff and a sketchpad.

After they quickly finished, they saw Toon Link, Lucas, Ness, Yoshi, Kirby and Jigglypuff outside their door, shocked. Jigglypuff was, of course, the one in the most desperate dilemma.

Jigglypuff was in disbelief. "You're done already? How did you do that so fast? I haven't even started."

"Packing is rather simple," Meta Knight replied.

"Simple? How do you call that _simple_? Packing is a long, hard and a tedious trial."

"It isn't hard if you know what to pack."

"But I don't know what needs to be packed! This is hopeless! It's the end of the world!"

"If it makes you feel better, you're not alone in this 'trial.'"

"I'm not?"

As if on cue, there was a shout in the hallway. "Zelda, do you know what dresses I should pack? Should I pick this one or this one?" That frantic voice was unmistakably Peach's.

Jigglypuff sighed. "A couple hours aren't enough time to pack. Why couldn't the Master Hand give us an entire day to get ready?"

"If he did, we would miss the bus. The Master Hand wouldn't exactly be happy," Meta Knight reminded her.

"He does have a point," Malvara agreed. "You better start packing."

"I tried but I couldn't decide what to bring! Why does packing have to be so hard on me?" Jigglypuff headed back to her room frantically.

Toon Link laughed a little. "That's Jigglypuff all right; always indecisive when the situation calls for it." Ness nodded in agreement, Kirby poyoing in unison.

"If I'm so indecisive, then _help me decide what to bring since I obviously don't have the ability to do so myself_!"

"Sheesh," Toon Link said under his breath, while Lucas cowered from the menacing tone in Jigglypuff's voice. "Fine, fine, I'll help you." He smirked at the others before heading to Jigglypuff's bedroom. Being curious, Ness, Yoshi and Kirby kept in pursuit.

Malvara and Meta Knight, being the first ones done went downstairs and waited for the others to finish. The Master Hand floated into the room and seemed surprised to see anyone done so soon.

"I see that you finished earlier than I expected. Not many can pack as fast as you can. Perhaps I'll let you know what we'll be doing on the vacation."

"Please do," Malvara said in reply.

"Very well then. First, in about two hours, the bus will come and take us to the city of Nintendoville which will only be an hour. The bus will arrive at our hotel we will be staying in for the next couple of days. We will stay there for an hour letting everyone unpack. When that is done we will walk around the corner and visit the zoo before returning to the hotel for supper in the lounge. As far as what happens afterwards is all in this sheet right here." The Master Hand gave Malvara a copy of the planner. "The rest is included in here. Now I should be letting the Crazy Hand know we are leaving soon. I'll see you on the bus this afternoon."

According to the schedule, tomorrow there would be the beach, the arcade and a dance party after supper at the hotel. The next day was planned for shopping at the mall, the snowball arena and a movie determined by majority votes. The final day included a game of baseball at the park before returning home after lunch at a pizza party.

"Sounds fun, huh Meta Knight?" Malvara asked when they both read the schedule for the holiday.

"Somewhat," he said simply. "Most of the activities do not interest me."

"Like what?" She asked, curious.

"Shopping and dancing…is not me, that's put it that way."

"Well, the snow arena sounds like it could be fun, right?" Malvara questioned again, hoping for a more optimistic answer. Rather than a verbal response, he nodded, saying no more, at least until Toon Link and Jigglypuff arrived ending the awkward silence.

"Guess what? Jigglypuff actually finished early!" Toon Link said, joining Meta Knight and Malvara. "Well, all because of me thanks to my advice."

"What advice did you give her?" Malvara asked.

"You wouldn't want to know," Toon Link said sheepishly, Jigglypuff scowling.

An hour later, the Smashers all made it to the main room ready for the bus to arrive, Peach being the last one downstairs. Five minutes before the bus arrived, the Master Hand came back with the Crazy Hand. "The bus should be here any minute. Let me make it clear to be respectful and do not distract the driver. Also, you will be seated according to roommates so when I call your name, you will sit wherever I assigned you on my schedule. You may all wait outside now."

The bus was elegant, not like the ones that bring students to school, but the ones with seats more like couches with a pillow. Above each seat was a storage area where everyone could keep their suitcase. After Meta Knight placed his suitcase on the rack above, he put up Malvara's as well. She was surprised but at that, he seemed amused at her shock.

The bus driver stood up at the front when everyone was seated. "I assume the Master Hand told you when I am driving you to the hotel, there will be no disrespect, am I right?" Everyone nodded, except for Dedede who hollered 'No.' The bus driver disregarded that and continued speaking. "If anyone causes trouble, consequences will be served in which the Master Hand will determine. Remember you can be banned from the activities if you misbehave. Thank you and I hope all of you will enjoy the holiday."

The bus slowly began to drive down the road once that was done and out of the way. Most of the Smashers spent their time talking. Meta Knight and Malvara were the only ones silent. Malvara never saw a bus before and the experience was exciting her. She watched the Smash Mansion fade from the distance and out of sight.

Meta Knight never saw a bus either, but he kept his gaze at the floor not looking up. He leaned against the side of the bus almost falling asleep.

As the bus turned a corner of a highway, Malvara became concerned. "Are you feeling all right?"

"It's nothing serious," he said, voice barely audible. "I'm fine."

"Is it…motion sickness?"

He sat up slowly and turned to face her. "You…knew?"

"If you are not feeling well, you don't have to hide it. If you need to rest, go ahead." At that, Meta Knight smiled behind his mask and leaned against the pillow. Malvara felt relieved seeing his eyes dim down indicating he was asleep.

The rest of the bus ride seemed calmer than first anticipated. The bus driver seemed pleased that no one caused trouble. However, as the bus came to a stop hitting a bump in the road, the silence was replaced with chatter when everyone saw the deluxe hotel. The only one not excited was Meta Knight who had been woken up by the bumpy ending. With a sigh he took his suitcase in hand and followed the other Smashers, pace slower than the rest of the group.

He changed his mind after witnessing what the first room was like. In short, the elegant style was fit for anything above royalty. Needless to say, Dedede was impressed. The Master Hand spoke with the staff for payment and for reminder that the Smashers would be staying for a couple of days.

"Everyone, settle down for a moment," the Master Hand said silencing the crowd's excited murmurs. "I checked all of you into your reservations you will be staying in for the next couple of days. Each of you can choose your rooms determined by the number on the card key you will pick out. One at a time if you please, come and receive a card key of your choice."

Easier said than done though. The Smashers swarmed the basket of keys the moment the Master Hand stopped speaking. He knew it was too hopeless to bother calming everyone down. Gradually, they calmed down trying to see what number they got. Luckily, Toon Link, Jigglypuff, Kirby, Ness, Lucas and Yoshi were close to each other. Across the hall from them were Meta Knight and Malvara who coincidentally next to each other. Malvara secretly liked that, also because they had become friends.

"Perhaps this was more than a coincidence?" Snake said, to Meta Knight's misfortune. In response, Meta Knight scowled. He hated it when Snake made fun of him. To his relief, they had to settle in their rooms which stopped Snake from bothering him further. Instead of using the elevator with the other Smashers, he took the long staircase where he could be alone.

Quietly, he opened the door, curious what his room looked like. Slowly he closed the door behind him amazed by the sight before him. The bed was bigger than he was by many times obviously, but it looked inviting all the same. The blankets were deluxe and an afghan was neatly folded at the edge of the sky blue covers. The shiny oak dresser fit all his possessions he brought with him perfectly. He liked the end table by his bed with a lamp next to it. It would be a great spot to read before bed. Best of all, he pushed the curtains aside with his hand, there was a balcony displaying the breathtaking view below.

It didn't take Meta Knight more than ten minutes to unpack and settle in. He never been to a hotel before and he had to admit, it was a much better experience that he first anticipated.

There was a soft knock at the door bringing Meta Knight out of his thoughts. He opened the door to see who was there.

"The others are heading downstairs to get ready to leave. We're going to the zoo first remember?" Malvara reminded him.

"Yes, I remember. Thank for reminding me or else, I may have forgotten."

"These rooms are amazing aren't they?"

"Definitely. I'll see you on the way to the zoo then. Maybe this holiday will not be as bad as I first thought." He wrapped his cape around himself and he disappeared into thin air. She used the elevator to return to the entrance.

"_How does he do that?"_

--

The Smashers were following the Master Hand as they turned the corner from the hotel. Luckily the zoo was not too far away, only about a five minute walk at most. To make up for he short walk, the humidity was high and the temperatures, thirty degrees. The children were too excited to notice to warmer climate, but some didn't enjoy the heat.

This was one of those times when Meta Knight disliked wearing his mask. The heat made his face even hotter than everyone else's, but he did not say anything about it. If he was alone, he would have removed the mask when no one could see his face.

When everyone made it to the entrance, the Master Hand made an announcement. "Before any of you enter the zoo, let me make something clear. You will respect any animals inhabiting the area and are expected to act on your best behaviour. If you brought any money, you are more than welcome to eat at the restaurant. None of you are allowed to drink alcohol so if I see anyone intoxicated when you all return here in three hours, there will be consequences to pay. Enjoy yourselves and follow the rules. You may enter."

The children were the first to enter, enthusiastic about seeing the animals.

"I bet there is going to be wolves," Toon Link said snickering, loud enough for Link to hear. Link's scowl satisfied him enough.

"Wolves are boring!" Ness said, frowning. "I think there will be bears."

"But bears are dangerous! They can hurt you!" Jigglypuff protested, shivering. "I wouldn't want to be near them."

"Bears?" Lucas said fearfully. "If there are bears, I'm leaving."

"Me too," Jigglypuff agreed.

"I hope there are dinosaurs." Ness said. "If only they weren't extinct. Then they would have been really popular."

"Yoshis already took their place centuries ago," Toon Link said, yawning while Yoshi tilted his head confused. He led everyone to a cavern to see the first display. "There better be something interesting in here!" To answer his wish, a high pitched scream filled the dark area ahead intimidating the children except for Toon Link.

"W-What was that?" Lucas whimpered, hiding behind Kirby, who said 'poyo,' as if to agree with the scared boy.

"Well you can all stay here if you want, but I am checking to see what's down there! Perhaps there is an interesting exhibit after all." Toon Link smirked as he slowly walked down the wet, stone steps.

Jigglypuff looked frightened. "He's daring, I'll give him that."

"More like reckless."

Another shriek filled the cavern frightening everyone again only this time it was paired with another voice that resembled Toon Link's.

"I had a feeling this place was dangerous," Jigglypuff said, taking a step backwards. "I knew it, there has to be bears in here, I'm sure of it."

"Please don't say that," Lucas said, sounding desperate to leave. Even Yoshi was getting fearful. Kirby, now getting curious, went down the steps to find Toon Link.

Link, who happened to pass by the cavern with Ike and Marth, shuddered and walked past the children, his pace quickening.

"What's his problem?" Jigglypuff asked. Ness and Lucas shrugged.

Toon Link backed away from the bars which had mysteriously disappeared. His confidence faded along with his bravery seeing the creature approaching him. As it shrieked again, Toon Link became immobilized, unable to move.

In front of him was a Re-dead, slowly advancing toward him. Toon Link wanted to scream, but not even his voice would work.

"P.K Fire!" Ness shouted, burning the Re-dead into flames, diminishing it quickly. Its body burnt into a pile of ashes spread across the ground. Toon Link stood up straight, trying to look dignified.

"You know, I could have taken care of that thing by myself," Toon Link said, walking up the steps acting normal again. The group sweatdropped.

"Uh, Ness?" Jigglypuff began to say. "You do know that you were not allowed to destroy whatever that thing was. It is the zoo's property."

"The Master Hand doesn't need to know that, does he?" Ness retaliated, smirking. "Besides, I was only saving Toon Link."

"I said I could have taken care of that re-dead myself!" Toon Link scowled, acting as though he never had been frightened.

--

Mario ran into the restaurant, eagerly taking a seat on one of the stools. Before the waitress could hand him a menu, he already said what he wanted to eat.

"I would like blueberry pancakes topped with spaghetti sauce and garlic please," he ordered, placing the money on the counter.

The waitress looked disgusted. "I apologize, but we don't serve crap here. If you wanted to eat from a garbage dump, we have one out in the back. Now order from the menu please."

Mario looked astounded. His pupils went microscopic and both hands slammed on the counter. "I come all the way from the Smash Mansion and even bother to come in here in the first place. I politely ask you for my favourite meal willing to pay for it AND you call it crap!? What's so bad about blueberry pancakes topped with spaghetti sauce and garlic?"

"Shut up you freak!" someone in the bar shouted. A beer bottle was chucked at Mario's head which he dodged, eyes wide. "You wanna fight?"

"Why not?"

"Mario, if you used a brain and not your instincts, you wouldn't end up in these situations," FLUDD said, amused. "What kind of weirdo eats blueberry pancake crap anyway?"

"Shut it FLUDD, I don't want to hear it. What I want to do is beat the daylights out of that guy!" Mario objected.

"That would be inadvisable Mario. If the Master Hand finds out about what you're going to do, you will be in serious trouble…then again, I could use some entertainment while I am on this holiday too. At least if you get caught, you'll be the one paying for it while I get to enjoy your misery."

"All right then wimp, come and get me!" Mario challenged, getting into a fighting stance.

"No fighting allowed in the bar! Take it outside, we don't want lunatics here," the waitress told them.

Mario got ready to punch the other guy when FLUDD sprayed water in his face. Distracted, this left the Mario open for an attack.

WHAM!

The other guy sent Mario flying mach speed into the wall, leaving an imprinted dent. The waitress shouted over the intercom, "Security, please report to the Moonlit Bar right away."

Mario stood preparing to attack. "Oh, you're about to get it now! You'll be sorry for challenging me."

"Mario, look behind you," FLUDD said, yet with amusement.

Two big security guards seized Mario and the other guy and hauled them outside and closed the door. "I have a lawyer you know! As soon as I leave this dump, I will sue you! Your bar is going to be no more after I'm through with this holiday!"

"Do you ever shut up?" FLUDD said, angering Mario.

The waitress sighed with relief seeing them go.

"Hey Mario, have fun in there?" Ike taunted, passing by.

"This is not my day is it?"

"If I get my way, no," FLUDD replied.

--

"Seriously, you saw a re-dead down there?" Link asked when Toon Link told him everything that happened in the cavern.

"I'm serious! I swear someone did something to those bars so that thing would come after me," Toon Link explained, leaving the part out about Ness saving him.

"When I was down there, I didn't see a re-dead," Ike pointed out.

"You went there after that happened!" Toon Link objected.

Marth thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it, I did notice the bars were gone."

"Maybe another Smasher did it?" Ike asked, hoping he was correct.

Link didn't look convinced. "Be serious. Who would do something like that to Toon Link?"

"…Wolf?" suggested Lucas, still scared.

"That might be true," Link said skeptically. "Since we do not have proof, we should not dwell on this any longer. Avoid the cavern from now on."

"Everyone can now return to the entrance," the Master Hand announced. "It's time to go back to the hotel."

Malvara and Meta Knight were the first ones there. "Three hours passed that quickly?" she asked.

"I suppose so."

"Well, at least we'll have supper at the hotel when we come back. Does that sound exciting?"

Meta Knight looked uncertain. "I'm not hungry."

That response did both concern and worry Malvara. Something about him eating very little bothered her. "Oh, I understand. Not everyone feels hungry all the time."

--

The Smashers were back at the hotel eating supper except for a couple, one being Meta Knight. He stood on the balcony and reflected on his thoughts where it would be quiet. As usually seen, his cape was wrapped around himself. Moments when he could be alone, reflect in serene silence were fairly uncommon ever since he came to Brawl.

Losing his awareness to the world around him, Meta Knight's eyes turned green. How much he missed peace and quiet.

His reunion with quiet was gone in mere seconds due to knocking on his door. He left the balcony, now letting go of his cape. Malvara was at the door, expression serious. "Meta Knight, the Master Hand needs everyone in the main room right now! It's very important!"

In an instant, Meta Knight followed Malvara downstairs with the other Smashers. The only one not looking confused was Mario. Instead, he appeared angry with his arms folded tightly across his round stomach. Beside him was the Master Hand, and if he had a face, he would have intimidated the Smashers more than they currently were except for the villains.

"Mario has just reported to me that he has lost his wallet after coming back from the zoo. I was wondering if any of you may have an idea where it may be."

"Perhaps if he didn't get into a fight at the bar, he may not have lost it." FLUDD said.

"Mario got into a fight at the bar?" the Master Hand asked, tone quieting but in a frightening way. Mario gulped.

"Nice going FLUDD," he hissed under his breath. If FLUDD wasn't a machine, he would have laughed at Mario.

"Nevermind that at the moment. Right now, I'll see if the other Smashers may know the whereabouts of your wallet."

As the other Smashers were questioned, Meta Knight tried his best to hide the anger he was feeling right now. He saw Dedede take Mario's wallet at the zoo when he passed by the bar. He debated to himself whether to tell the Master Hand he knew where Mario's wallet was. Meta Knight would have spoken up if he wasn't subjected to being King Dedede's 'loyal' servant. In truth, he hated his job and wished he could quit, but the severe consequences held him back.

Meta Knight was still angry when it was time for bed at eleven. Accidentally, he slammed the door entering his room. The impact vibrated the hallway for a moment but as he went to the balcony, he didn't care.

The soft twinkling of the stars up in the sky caught his attention; one larger one in particular known as Popstar. Meta Knight sighed reminded he still missed his home planet. Unlike the other Smashers, he did not feel completely comfortable in Super Smash Brothers Brawl. How alone he felt.

Meta Knight tried sleeping an hour later. He ended up tossing and turning trying to unsuccessfully get some rest. By the time the sun rose over the horizon, he gave up trying to sleep.

--

After everyone finished breakfast at the hotel that morning, the Master Hand told the Smashers the days activities were the beach, a snow arena and a dance club. Meta Knight eventually decided to stay quiet about Mario's wallet so it was still no where to be found. The Master Hand had FLUDD explain the scene at the bar so he, of course, received a punishment of staying at the hotel for the morning. The whole time, FLUDD tormented him.

The Smashers arrived at the beach conveniently located across the road from the hotel. Many brought a towel, an umbrella and sunscreen. Meta Knight and Malvara were the only ones avoiding the ocean and staying as far away from the others as possible. Meta Knight couldn't swim well and he didn't want anyone finding that out.

By lunchtime, they returned to the hotel and afterwards, they went to the snow arena. As usual, the Master Hand explained the rules and warnings of consequences of inappropriate behavior.

"Wow, this sounds fun!" Malvara said to Meta Knight after he split the Smashers into two teams. "I'm glad we got to be on the same team. Let's do our best."

Meta Knight nodded, finally looking forward to something. The snow arena was similar to an ice rink except instead of the ground being covered in ice, there was snow. By the looks of it, the activity would be a snowball fight.

For Dedede, this was a perfect opportunity being on the opposite team as Meta Knight. Revenge became mandatory thinking of how much he could get. When the Master Hand wasn't looking, he prepared a snowball before the game was announced to begin. As soon as the Master Hand said the game officially began, snowballs flew everywhere in the first ten seconds.

The Master Hand left to have a small coffee break a few minutes later so Dedede decided to use this to his advantage. Instead of using his hands to throw the snowballs, he used his hammer.

Malvara glared at Dedede when she realized what he was doing. Many others on the same team such as Ike, Marth, and Sonic protested against Dedede cheating. Dedede laughed when his snowballs hit their targets such as Peach complaining about her dress getting wet. Marth was annoyed at his hair getting out of place; especially when he spent two hours that morning fixing it.

The Master Hand came back a few minutes later and by that time, Dedede lost interest in throwing snowballs and got into an argument with Ganondorf who happened to be on the same team.

Each tried to make themselves taller. Ganondorf formed a big pile of snow and stood upon it, looking proud. Dedede attempted the same thing but when he set foot onto the pile, it instantly crumbled under his weight.

"Not so dominant now aren't you?" Ganondorf said, chuckling.

"Hey Marth, look over there!" Ike pointed out. "Those two lugs are fighting!"

Marth shrugged as if it wasn't important. Ike picked up a large armful of snowballs and proceeded to throw them at Dedede and Ganondorf. None of them noticed seeing as Ike's aim was very poor. Marth simply picked up two snowballs and threw them, this time they hit both intended targets. They glare towards the two swordsmen. Marth ducked down behind a snow wall while Ike laughed hysterically immediately appearing to be the one responsible.

Ike was buried in a pile of five hundred snowballs before the next minute passed.

As the snowball fight continued, everyone was soaked, even Meta Knight, but he didn't care because he was enjoying himself. He suddenly had an idea. Instead of using Sword Beam, he used Snow Beam and aimed at Dedede as revenge for soaking him earlier.

Dedede saw the attack coming and hid behind the snow blockade to avoid it. To his shock, the snowball passed through it with ease and hit him square in the stomach and continued to push him backwards into the other Smashers on his team.

"How did he do that?" Smashers on the other team said in both wonder and shock. Malvara as well as the others on his team cheered. The Master Hand didn't know what to say, he was that amazed. However, the praise did not matter to Meta Knight. As soon as he was able to be alone, he took the opportunity.

"_I acted too spontaneously…Whatever made me do something so outgoing? I should not be doing this…I should be alone like I always have been."_

_**_

For the next couple days during the holiday, Meta Knight refused to be involved in activities with the others. He still regretted participating in the snow arena. Quite a few times, he stayed behind at the hotel. He dismissed it as nothing to anyone who asked him if anything was wrong. On the very last day of the holiday, it was mandatory for Meta Knight to come along.

The last activity took place at night; a movie at the theatre.

Malvara handed him the schedule so he would be informed what had been going on when he stayed at the hotel.

"So, the genre of the movie will be determined by majority vote?" Meta Knight asked.

"Yes. In about a few minutes, votes will be cast towards the movie we will see. I hope romance will win. I really want to see Twilight."

Behind his mask, Meta Knight scowled thinking about romance movies. "I am not fond of romance."

Snake, who happened to hear that as he passed by, suddenly came up with an idea. Tonight would be exciting as he would watch his plan slowly take action.

"Attention all Smashers, now is your time to cast your votes for the movie. I recommend anyone who needs to use the restroom to do so now. In about half an hour the movie will be decided. I'll see you all again soon."

Snake grinned seeing the Master Hand leave. Now he finally put his plan into action. Behind the seat, he took out a mini photocopier and placed his vote instead. For the number of copies, he selected eight thousand. He placed the pile of votes into the box, surprisingly not being seen. At the very top, a huge vote stuck out from the box.

"Who could have put a vote that big inside?" Ike asked to seemingly no one.

Link shrugged. "Maybe it was the Master Hand."

"Do you seriously think he would vote for romance?" Ike asked, looking at Link as if he was crazy.

"Why don't you ask him yourself? He's coming back into the room right now," Link suggested.

"What did you want to ask me?" the Master Hand said, startling them both.

Ike shrugged trying to act casual. "Nothing much. We're just curious about who put a huge vote for romance. Do you know something about that?"

The Master Hand twitched slightly. "No, definitely not. I have something I need to attend to right now so I'll see you in a few minutes. It seems romance won the majority vote."

Malvara smiled. "I guess I'll be seeing Twilight after all." Meta Knight groaned, slumping in his seat. "Come on, it's not that bad! Twilight's a great movie, you'll like it."

"The fangirls are creepy," Meta Knight whispered under his breath. When Malvara looked at him rather oddly, he pretended he didn't notice. Gradually the lights turned off as the openings began leading into the introduction.

Minutes passed seeming like hours to Meta Knight. The movie wasn't as good as he thought it might be. The mood in the theatre tensed as the confession scene came at last. Meta Knight no longer paid attention to the moving figures of Bella and Edward, but instead allowed his eyes to close. The sounds in the background became barely audible as he drifted to sleep.

Malvara gasped when she heard soft snoring from beside her. She realized with annoyance Meta Knight fell asleep and just when the kiss scene took place. She sharply elbowed him in the side waking him up. He glared at her through his peripheral vision. "Meta Knight, how could you fall asleep like that? The Master Hand took the time arranging this so the least you could do is bear with it."

Unbeknownst to them, Snake sat in front of them, arms against the back of his chair, holding a camera. He chuckled as the photos nicely turned out, but fortunately no one could hear him over the movie.

Malvara wouldn't let Meta Knight sleep again. When he did try, she kept elbowing him. His side felt sore by the time he stood up so it took him longer to adjust to standing again.

"Malvara, if you wanted to keep me awake, could you make it less painful?" Meta Knight asked, rubbing his sore spot.

"Next time an activity is arranged, remember that you won't be so lucky next time if you dare fall asleep again." There was a mischievous glint in her visible eye as she spoke every word. "Hopefully, we've reached an agreement on that."

Meta Knight sighed, giving in. "Yes, I understand."

"I'm glad to hear that."

**

It was completely dark by the time the Smashers returned from their holiday. Everyone was exhausted after the long week; however, Mario was still missing his wallet so he was ticked off over the whole incident. The Smashers went to the main room for one more announcement before settling back into their rooms and unpacking.

A knock shook the whole door with such impact, the Master Hand flinched at the noise. "Everyone, wait here. Stay where you are." The doorknob turned without a sound, and in came a figure with features hardly visible because of the darkness.

"I wish to speak with you in your office if that is not _too much trouble. _I suggest you come quietly." The Master Hand seemed nervous following the figure but kept his composure.

"Everyone head back to your rooms and stay there. Do not leave until I say so."

Everyone whispered to one another on their way back upstairs. They never saw the Master Hand so nervous before and that concerned them greatly, even some of the villains.

Malvara was the most frightened of them all. Her worst fears were confirmed as she and Meta Knight went up to their room. She heard a bit of the conversation from the Master Hand's office, the one sentence she least wanted to hear.

"My name is Isaken. All I request is a place to stay temporarily." By then, his appearance became visible to the others. His height passed that of Marth's by an inch and his black bangs hung over his forehead. His light and piercing blue eyes stood out against his pale skin. His attire included a dark blue tunic, pure white pants and jet black boots. Faintly at the left side of his face, a nearly invisible scar could be seen.

Meta Knight turned around, noticing Malvara had frozen completely. "Is something wrong?"

Malvara stared at the ground, avoiding his gaze. "No, I am fine. Let's go to bed and be quick about it." She didn't say another word afterwards, but kept silent, so much that it worried Meta Knight. He could tell she knew something he wasn't aware of and would not tell him, at least not yet.

Before the door closed, Malvara and Isaken stared at each other for a long moment. Malvara finally slammed the door and leaving the Smash Mansion in eerie silence.


	4. Emotional Complications

_Keep up the awesome reviews! Enjoy the next chapter!_

_Disclaimer: See chapter 1_

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Emotional Complications: Chapter Four

_The ground below me became distant as I ascended higher up into the sky. The objects below were barely visible; the only the mere blurry images seen through my eyes. I could see only ahead of me, my current destination, leaving everything behind me._

I passed through the strong winds seemingly not having an effect on me. My mind was blank, no thoughts crossing my mind for the first time since I could remember in all the years I lived. The winds, I couldn't feel against my skin, which seldom occurred. I continued to fly towards the tower in the distance hoping my questions will be answered of my concerns.

My altitude lowered upon reaching my destination. Where I ended up during my flight, I am not sure. All this increases my growing confusion. It is not me to leave someplace behind and seek another location for no reason, let alone where I will be going.

As I walked up to the dark entrance, my breathing slowed down rather than increase. I expected to be nervous, but inside there was no fear or doubt whatsoever. Deep down, I truly feel it, but something unknown must be restraining my emotions, perhaps an attempt to torment me to the point where I had to seek answers...

Like now. In this dark and unknown place, my desires are answers to why I have changed so much. Even someone as antisocial as me can become even lonelier. They could leave the others, supposedly like an only family you ever had.

Again, my vision blurred again, hindering what I could see ahead. Could these...be tears? Ones I refused to shed no matter the cost? I took a moment to recollect my thoughts before entering the mysterious tower. My only hopes were desires. Thoughts of the family I left behind gradually faded as the same unknown force restricting my emotions proceeded to my memories. Before I was under control again, I forced to shed a tear, one that may be my last.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered, inaudibly.

"So, you seek the truth, or perhaps to be free? Such freedom cannot be granted to something like you. By now, I would expect you to be aware of that," a deep voice echoed through a dark room I suddenly found myself in.

"Freedom, I understand, I can never have. The truth is what I seek with hope that is not asking too much. If this is how it will always be, I want to know. I need to know what I will be facing," I replied with firm and steady confidence. At a time like this, fear isn't an option. The option is keeping calm and thinking with a calm mind.

"Ah, I see. Is the 'truth' really that important to you?"

"Very much so," I replied.

Instead of a verbal response, everything faded to black, almost like I was going through time or maybe even another location.

"Is this why you desire the truth so much," the figure said, motioning to the ground in front of him. As much as my emotions became restricted, I found it horrifying.

"...Why?" was all I could manage. Then my voice would work for me no longer.

"_Hmmm, you did take this more seriously than I anticipated. Nevertheless, that would count as a bonus. In regards to your question, the answer lies in front of you. How deeply affecting this is, yet how satisfying."_

_I glared, turning away from the revolting sight in front of me. If I gazed in that direction any longer, I would literally be sick._

"_And to think, this happened by your own hands. You, yourself caused that."_

"_No, it could not have been me...There's no way..."_

_**_

Meta Knight's eyes quickly opened as he awoke from dreaming. The blankets were twisted tightly around his body in knots. He even found himself in a cold sweat. He took a moment to allow his breathing to return to a normal pace before trying to sit up.

Malvara awoke a few minutes ago and happened to see that something was bothering Meta Knight. She got out of bed and slowly made her way over to his. Gently, she touched his shoulder. "Are you all right?"

Meta Knight gasped from the unexpected touch, but lessened up knowing it was Malvara. He nodded, still trying to get out from the blankets. He felt uneasy inside when Malvara helped unknot them due to the unusual closeness between them. "Thank you," he said, barely above a whisper.

"No problem," she replied, a little uneasy too. She still retained the concern in her expression. "Are you sure you're all right? It looked like you were having a nightmare."

Meta Knight stiffened. "How did you know that?"

"Well, you seemed frightened when you woke up…"

"Oh…" The answer had been so obvious and the situation was getting too awkward for his liking. No way could he tell her about his dream. He neatly folded his blankets and got out of bed. "Don't worry about me. I'm all right…" he said to Malvara when she still looked concerned.

He gently closed the door behind him, trying to keep his mixed feelings under control. The voices in his nightmare sounded so ominous and yet one of the voices sounded identical to his own.

On his way downstairs, he happened to glance at the clock which told him it was four thirty in the morning. Meta Knight was surprised that it was so light out this early in the morning, but appreciated the daylight all the same.

If he could not get anymore sleep, he decided he still do some exercises before the others woke up. When he entered the training room, he lifted his mask to wipe away any remaining sweat. The home run contest seemed like a great place to start and also it was vacant so he release any built up feelings by sending the Sandbag flying.

His eyes widened seeing Marth when he turned the corner. Marth seemed equally as surprised.

"Are you up early as well?" Marth asked.

Meta Knight nodded rather than providing a verbal response.

"I couldn't sleep so I wanted to train earlier. You had troubles sleeping too?"

"I suppose you could say that," Meta Knight replied as to avoid explaining he had a bad dream. When Marth seemed to appear suspicious, it was time to change the subject. "I may see you at the cafeteria later or maybe when I am training. Good luck with your training."

Perhaps since no one was around, Meta Knight thought it would be safe to use his true power to help release his emotions. In brawls, he had to restrict his powers for fear of harming the opponent and being accused of cheating in the stadium.

He allowed his mind to focus on the Sandbag and to concentrate. Shortly after, his body was ready to unleash an attack. With one powered up attack, Meta Knight sent the Sandbag flying five thousand feet from it's original position. His emotions felt less complicated and his mind, finally reaching a state of relaxation. A sigh of exhaustion escaped him, the attack having drained plenty of his strength.

Maybe that would do for morning workouts. Next on his list was a very quick, not to mention, insufficient breakfast. Meta Knight didn't eat much since that had become a habit for him. Back in the war, there was only so much and he learned to live like that his entire life.

On his way to the cafeteria, he noticed the brawling schedule for the day. Meta Knight saw he had a brawl against Pit after lunch. Once more, in the battlefield, he would hold back from the power held inside him.

He sighed.

**

The Smashers had finished lunch and the only ones remaining were Dedede, Bowser and Wario. While they were talking, some of the Waddle Dees were tidying the kitchen after the other Smashers since some left the place an utter mess. Even though the others finished lunch, Dedede claimed that was only a snack.

"…and then he would come up to me and try to act all mysterious so I must come up with a way to catch him off guard. I need a really good comeback," Dedede was saying to other two, while eating at the same time. How the other two could understand him was beyond understanding of anyone else. "What do you think of this one: You're so dumb, you'd make a rock jealous?"

Wario and Bowser laughed at the comeback. However, Waddle Doo rolled his eye, appalled.

"That one sucks, Your Majesty. Why don't you use, 'If anyone else were to witness your stupidity, they'd be ashamed of your low intellect?'" Waddle Doo suggested.

Dedede thought for a moment. "That's actually not bad. Hey, why don'cha help me come up with some more? This is really important."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I would be more than glad to serve you when needed."

"What should ya say to someone who's backtalkin' you and will not admit the truth?"

"Well, you should try saying something like, 'Only a pathetic coward would lie to cover up for their actions.'"

"Hey, dat's a pretty good comeba' you came up wi,'" Dedede said through a mouthful of food.

"How many more do you need?"

"Qui' a few mo,'" Dedede replied, once again less understandable than usual. "Tell me 'nother one."

"_This is going to be a long task." _Waddle Doo thought to himself before replying. "Only those who live in shame hide who they are, knowing how low they are compared to everyone else."

Dedede finally up from the table, now finished lunch. "These comebacks just might work after all. Let's talk this over where no one can hear us, especially the short blueberry." Dedede laughed as he went upstairs to his room. Waddle Doo seemed uncertain. What was he planning with these comebacks? He didn't dare question Dedede's intentions. From witnessing the mistrust between Meta Knight and Dedede, he knew better than to say anything.

**

Meta Knight didn't get any sleep as not to risk experiencing that same nightmare. Even if it was only a dream, it still made him sick. As he was instructing Malvara of what to do, his mind still demanded rest. A few yawns escaped him, but luckily Malvara was too engaged in her training to notice.

Several others such as Marth, Ike, and Link were training. They noticed how tired Meta Knight was, but kept silent about it. He wasn't the type to rest often.

As Malvara experimented using a sword, Meta Knight leaned against the wall, trying not to fall asleep. He wished he hadn't been so afraid of that dream.

Malvara tried using a variety of weapons, yet none seemed to work for her like she hoped. Minutes passed as she continued to try fighting with more weapons. Something about pounding the Sandbag made her angry…very angry. Perhaps these feelings were warning her of something terrible. Slowly, her sword raised higher in the air, prepared to strike.

Meta Knight's eyes just closed when he heard a scream and the sound of a sword falling to the ground. Malvara's eyes were widened at the sight before her; a completely disintegrated Sandbag lay in small grains on the ground, fading out of sight.

"Hey, do that again! That was wicked!" Ike encouraged, not taking the situation seriously.

In a flash, Malvara left needing to be alone. Not caring if other Smashers were in her way, she ran to as far away as possible. Maybe her feelings were warning her, yet she regretted not heeding them when she had the chance.

Meta Knight frowned. "Ike, sometimes you do not realize how serious the situation is. I would be right to assume you did not notice how worried Malvara was when she left?"

"Come on, it's not that big of a deal isn't it? I'm sure she'll be fine in an hour so why would-" Ike stopped in mid-sentence due to a swift kick Link gave him in the shins.

**

Dedede was the first to enter the cafeteria at supper. After plenty of rehearsing the comebacks with Waddle Doo, he felt he was ready for his performance. Everyone retired to the cafeteria as well, more than obliged to eat dinner.

Meta Knight was one of the few who were not hungry but decided to walk beside Malvara the whole way there. As soon as she would get something to eat, he would retreat to his bedroom. Instead of leaving immediately as usual, Dedede stood at the doorway as if he had been waiting for him. With doubt, he almost passed by the huge penguin until a small cough made him stop in place.

"Don't worry, I'm sure this won't take long," Meta Knight said to Malvara, seeing the confused expression on her face.

"Do you really believe that is so Meta Knight?" Dedede said in such a smug tone that some heads turned his way. No one heard him talk like that before, especially Meta Knight, being his servant for a long time.

"Do you wish to speak with me Sire?"

Dedede smirked. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. What do you think?"

"That does not answer my question," Meta Knight said, slightly annoyed. "An answer would be appreciated Your Majesty."

"And what will you do if I don't give one?" Dedede shot back, almost sounding like he was challenging him. "You wouldn't be so disloyal to attack me would you?"

"Are you once again questioning my loyalty? I thought we were through with that. I am His Majesty's faithful servant as I recall we agreed."

"As much as you deny it Meta Knight, you never kept to your word as_ I seem to recall_," Dedede replied, emphasizing the tone in his voice to sound confident and dominant.

Meta Knight sighed. More ranting from the King he didn't wish to hear. He was about to walk away when Dedede spoke up again.

"I've never seen such a poor excuse for a knight until you became my servant."

That comment caught Meta Knight off guard. He turned around, surprised. "…Whatever do you mean? I do not understand how that would be so." The tone in his voice was without emotion, yet quieter than usual.

Dedede took a step closer, making him tower over the small puffball form of Meta Knight. "From what I can see, you do not earn respect by your looks for certain. I could have died laughing when I found out my loyal servant was to be a blueberry. On top of that, many easily tower over you, not being so short. Perhaps if you even _an inch_ taller, there would be no need for you to compensate for your height on higher places."

Meta Knight's eyes flickered red, indicating that Dedede touched a nerve. "Sire, stop this instant."

Dedede continued to laugh. "I also happen to notice how cowardly you are. If you were so brave, you wouldn't feel the need to wear that mask all the time. That itself proves your cowardice."

"Your Majesty, I am warning you..." Meta Knight said, anger evident in his voice.

"Why should I blueberry? How are you going to stop me, loyal servant?" A grin continued to flash across his face.

Meta Knight clenched his fists tightly, trying to containing the immense anger he felt. He hated being called a blueberry; more the fact that Dedede basically revealed that to everyone else. The other Smashers shifted their attention to the doorway by this point.

"Correct me if I'm wrong blueberry. You know I speak the truth. Only a pathetic coward would lie to cover up for their actions." Everything worked as planned. His comebacks were working as he hoped and Meta Knight even got angry at the insults he and Waddle Doo came up with.

Meta Knight trembled from rage and found that he was unable to say a word to retaliate. "No objections Your Majesty."

"Glad we have come to an understanding. Only those who live in shame hide who they are, knowing how low they are compared to everyone else."

Meta Knight turned away and left the room, eyes glowing red. His feet lead him all the way up to his bedroom as fast as possible. The door slammed shut and his fist smashed into the wall beside his pillow, leaving a dent. Anger left his being immediately, replaced with fear. The power of his rage could hurt anyone nearby. If he didn't make it to the room in time…so much harm could have been done.

"_No, I don't want to think about that…I must focus on something else…"_ The door opened and Malvara slowly came in, unsure of how Meta Knight would respond to her presence. He lay exhausted on his bed from being so angry at Dedede. He gazed at the door, now seeing Malvara came in the room. Before she could see the dent in the wall, he covered it up with his pillow.

"Meta Knight, I…saw what happened downstairs…and I am sorry that had to happen. I didn't know how mean Dedede could be."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. You had no control over that. It was only Dedede anyway, the same as usual." His tone seemed to contain resentment and defeat.

"I know that really bothered you Meta Knight, even if you will not admit it. I could tell, I don't know how, but I was able to." At first, she thought he would get evasive and deny the whole situation troubling him, but he didn't.

"Thank you for understanding how I feel," he said, in a gentle manner instead of defensive like she anticipated. Then his eyes flashed green, startling Malvara. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing at all!"

An awkward silence, at least for Malvara, endured for a moment before she spoke up again.

"To be honest, I was startled because I thought your eyes changed colour…I saw that happen before a few times, but I never understood what that meant." She trailed off. _"I sounded so stupid just now. He can read my mind, I know he can."_

"I suppose it would be correct to say my eyes change colour when I feel certain emotions. As to what each colour means you will have to figure that out for yourself."

"I know red means anger," Malvara said, and in response, Meta Knight smiled.

"There are still much you have yet to figure out." From his tone, his mood seemed to have considerably brightened.

"Meta Knight," Malvara began as they were getting into bed.

"Yes?"

"I promise we will get revenge on Dedede. I'll help you in any way possible." She heard a soft chuckle from the other side of the room. It pleased her to hear that.

"Thank you."

"And…"

"Hm?"

"After breakfast, could you help me learn how to fight? Not that I will be participating in any brawls, but for safety," Malvara explained, careful not to give away her true intentions.

"That should not be a problem."

"It means…a lot to me. Thanks so much!"

**

In a quick pace, Meta Knight left for lunch as not to have to wait in a long line up at the cafeteria. He always ate before anyone arrived and he intended to keep it way. His eyes were starting to feel tired in addition to sleep deprivation. As he reached the cafeteria, he made it to the entrance doorway when a voice stopped him. Seeing it was Snake, slight annoyance made its way to the list of emotions Meta Knight was feeling at the moment.

"So, what are you going to do about Dedede?" Snake said, as Meta Knight turned around. "From seeing the video I had recorded of the incident yesterday, there's something you might want to know."

"What is it?"

"After lunch yesterday, I saw him around Wario and Bowser with Waddle Doo helping him with comebacks. He spent all afternoon rehearsing before his 'presentation,' so to say, in the cafeteria last night," Snake replied.

"I thought he sounded too intelligent. It would have been impossible for him to develop such a plan," Meta Knight said under his breath. At the same time, he was irritated. "Just how many cameras do you have? Anytime something like this happens, you seemed to be well informed."

Waddle Doo arrived at the scene, in an urgent manner as Snake headed upstairs. "Meta Knight, there's something important I need to tell you!"

"Does this have to do with anything Snake told me?"

Waddle Doo nodded. "Precisely. You must be aware that I did not know that Dedede would use those comebacks for something horrible! If there is anyway I can help you with revenge, let me know."

Meta Knight thought for a moment. "There is one way you could help." This time, his tone held mischief and inspiration, a plan now forming in his mind. "Since you have been helping Dedede create new comebacks, could you tell me what they are, and perhaps they can be changed into self insults."

"That's an excellent idea!" Waddle Doo agreed. "His Majesty will never know what hit him. Follow me to his bedroom. The comebacks should be on a script somewhere."

"What if King Dedede sees that I am in his room? He wouldn't be pleased if he found out what we were planning."

"He won't. He's too busy in a twenty stock match with Kirby. I arranged today's brawls with the Master Hand so that he will not come back anytime soon. Even after that's done, it will take him another hour to eat lunch. We'll have plenty of time."

Meta Knight nodded in approval. "That sounds like a plan."

Malvara finally came out from her bedroom in time to see Meta Knight and Waddle Doo heading for Dedede's bedroom. "What are you two doing?" She seemed recovered from the training incident earlier.

Waddle Doo looked uncertain, but Meta Knight said, "It's all right. She already knows about the plan. I informed her of Dedede's intentions." Malvara followed them into the King's bedroom. He used to be roommates with Ganondorf until he had enough of the bedroom being too crowded with Waddle Dees.

"Here we are!" Waddle Doo said, holding out the script he found in the dresser. Malvara glanced at it and her eyes widened.

"You helped him come up with that many comebacks?" She said in disbelief.

Waddle Doo sighed. "It takes a lot to satisfy His Majesty. I spent all night coming up with those new ones. Needless to say, sleep was not an option."

Meta Knight searched through the Dedede's dresser while the other two were talking to each other and changing a few comebacks. In the bottom drawer, he found what he was looking for; Mario's wallet. Now he could give it back later, without anyone knowing it was him. He hid it in his cape and joined Malvara and Waddle Doo in coming up with more.

"This should do just fine. I'll teach Dedede these improved ones tonight when he comes back." Waddle Doo threw out the old script after shredding it up into tiny pieces with his sword. "Next time you see Dedede, be ready. He will be waiting for you at the cafeteria like the night before."

Meta Knight nodded, both him and Malvara trying to contain their laughter.

The next performance would be owned.

**

Dedede had a smug grin on his face as he was heading down for supper at the cafeteria. Waddle Doo taught him more comebacks and his confidence remained high since his victory. He stood at the doorway in the same position he had been in the day before. As Meta Knight entered the room, Malvara whispered good luck to him, quiet enough so no one else could hear.

"Hey Meta Knight!" Dedede said a taunting manner. "I need to talk to you for a second." As predicted, Dedede had been waiting for him attempting to humiliate Meta Knight. This time, the selfish King would be in for a surprise.

"Yes, what is it Sire?" Meta Knight said in response, bowing respectively first.

His sincerity confused Dedede. He humiliated Meta Knight the day before and he was being polite to him? It didn't matter. Victory would be his again anyway.

"Meta Knight, you're so dumb, you make me jealous," Dedede taunted, not realizing he insulted himself.

A few snickered at Dedede, but he thought they were directing that at Meta Knight. "I appreciate your honesty Your Majesty. We don't need lies among us, do we?" More snickers echoed throughout the room.

Dedede stood as tall as he could make himself. "I bet you don't know how much I suck!"

"I think I do," Meta Knight replied, trying not to laugh at how easily fooled the fat penguin was.

Dedede thought for a moment, having a strange feeling something didn't sound right about his new comebacks, but disregarded those thoughts. More 'comebacks' to be told. "You must know that I am the worst King to ever rule Dreamland! It would be a shame to deny how fat and ugly I am. I am so ugly, I would make every single mirror shatter. I should be ashamed knowing anything else besides me would have more admirable traits."

"_He is more oblivious than I gave him credit for," _Meta Knight thought, listening to Dedede spill out more insults against himself.

The whole room filled with laughter and Dedede grinned. _"I must be doing such a great job with these new comebacks. Everyone is laughing at Meta Knight as planned."_ In the corner, Waddle Doo watched with amusement finally proud to have done the right thing. After understanding the King's intentions, he realized the mistakes in his ways.

"…and I strongly advice those who wish to keep their eyesight to avert your gaze from my hideous face! In case you didn't know, I have the most stupid final Smash among everyone. I am too lazy to win brawls on my own poor skills so I have my servants do the work for me." The self insults kept coming. To Dedede's shock, Meta Knight laughed, unable to contain it anymore. He laughed so hard, his shoulders shook. "What's so funny?!"

"Dededumb, you haven't realized all this time, everything you said was an insult against yourself," Ike replied, being one to laugh the most of all the Smashers. "As Meta Knight said, we must not have lies among us. Glad to know the truth comes out."

Dedede suddenly realized what he said and his face went bright red. With everyone laughing at him and no comebacks at his disposal, he was helpless and outmatched. "…well…well…what I meant to say was…You're dumb!" He stalked out of the room in a fury, instead of admitting defeat on the spot and that he never came up with the other comebacks in the first place.

"_Maybe just this one time, it will be all right." _Meta Knight stuck his foot out to trip Dedede. The fat penguin fell flat on his face with a loud thud. A small chuckle escaped Meta Knight's lips seeing him fall. How long he wanted to do that.

Dedede slammed the hallway door shut behind him, hoping the sound would drown out the Smasher's laughter. A cool and calm voice froze him in place.

"Dedede, I saw you come from the cafeteria just now," Isaken said quietly with no emotion. "If it is no trouble, I would appreciate if you delivered a message to Malvara…or Meta Knight. Either will do I suppose."

Just hearing the name Meta Knight made Dedede forget anything regarding Malvara. All he could think of was what kind of message he would deliver to that blueberry he despised so much. Maybe this could be used for revenge.

"Let me know when you told her," Isaken commanded, still no emotion matching the mood of his words. In a blink of an eye, he vanished from sight, and all that time, Dedede never paid attention to what Isaken had told him.

"Hey wait! I didn't get that message…oh well, how much does it matter anyway…Aw, what the heck, I'll make up something. That should work. And Ike has the nerve to call me dumb."

--

"It's a miracle, you managed to get your wallet back," FLUDD said to Mario, who was too relieved to care and busy rejoicing the reunion. Due to being ignored, FLUDD sprayed Mario with water in the mouth. It worked, of course, and Mario once again threatened to throw FLUDD off a cliff.

Mario glared. "My wallet has been gone for two months. Can't I have a peaceful reunion without you disturbing me?"

"You said someone found that for you?" Peach asked.

"That's what that note said, remember? If you don't believe me, look at it for yourself."

"Who could have done that?" Zelda asked, also being part of the conversation.

From around the corner, Meta Knight watched the scene, smiling behind his mask. Now that the wallet was returned, the revenge done, he didn't have to be angry at Dedede anymore, at least, at the moment. Everything seemed at ease for the rest of the day, until it was time for bed.

_--_

After an hour of reading a novel quietly at his bed, Meta Knight decided to turn in for the evening. He placed the book on his end table and while he was at it, he glanced over at Malvara, making sure she was all right. Loud knocking slammed upon the door, startling both Meta Knight and Malvara.

Dedede stood in the doorway; someone that Meta Knight least wanted to see before bed.

"What do you want Dedede?" Malvara asked with irritation. Even she didn't want to see the penguin.

"Isaken told me to give ya a message," Dedede said, equally as irritated. The response silenced Malvara in an instant. "He wished for me to let ya know...Darn, I forgot…" He glared at Meta Knight, who looked away, before closing the door.

"_I see that he has failed as I first suspected. Next time, his disobedience will earn him a punishment or two. Very soon, the plan can take effect. Until then, I will need to be patient and let the events unfold."_

Malvara sighed. Muttering under her breath, she whispered, "Well, that was strange." She quickly wished Meta Knight sweet dreams when he turned her way.

This was really bothering Meta Knight. His suspicions grew whenever anyone mentioned Isaken. Eventually he would find out the truth. Soon after she fell asleep, he slipped from consciousness as well, into another dream.

"_You caused that. It would be even worse to deny the horrid actions in which you committed. No matter, you only helped me in the end in a goal I didn't expect you to accomplish so soon. I assure you, your future will never be the same again."_

_No, I cannot stand this anymore. A loud scream of agony echoed from the room in which I was forced to watch the most horrific scene of my life. The voice sounded like my own; my last cry of pain and sorrow I will ever express again._

_What have I done? What…have I done?_

"_Your duty, one in which there's no shame. You will realize why in time."_

_I managed one more tear before turning away to look into the darkness, equivalent to what my heart was to become. _

"_I'm…I'm…a…"_


	5. Spooky Night Out

Spooky Night Out: Chapter Five

Chilly October air blew across the fields as the moon rose high into the sky. The moon happened to be full accompanied by misty clouds. The air was cooler now that Autumn came. On a night like this, many would be too creeped out to set foot in the graveyard recently constructed behind the Smash Mansion.

Daring children and others forced to come along usually didn't compose this category. Ness dared Lucas, Kirby, Toon Link, Yoshi, Jigglypuff and Malvara to meet him in the graveyard to play games. They reluctantly agreed, not wanting to back down.

Malvara silently swung open the gates, allowing the others to enter. She had no idea why she bothered to come along with this dare when she could be quietly reading a book in her room and maybe have a conversation with Meta Knight. In the past few months, they became much better friends, also meaning both spoke to each other on a more frequent, everyday basis. She never imagined that kind of trust between them, but she appreciated it greatly having someone to talk to.

"Hey Malvara, are you there?" came Toon Link's voice.

Malvara blinked, realizing she had been daydreaming. "Oh, sorry about that. I didn't mean to space out!"

"Ah, don't worry about that. Everyone does that now and then. I'm guessing you did that to calm yourself down? Even I am nervous," Jigglypuff said in a caring tone.

Malvara smiled. "Thanks for understanding. All right everyone, Ness should be here somewhere."

"What if he isn't? Maybe this is another one of his tricks. It's not the first time he did that," Lucas said fearfully. "I've known him for a while and he's the kind that would do something like that."

Kirby and Yoshi both took a step backwards, unsure if they should stay or retreat back to the Smash Mansion. Jigglypuff held them both in place, restricting them from running away. "Don't be ridiculous Lucas. I've known Ness since the first tournament and he never did anything like that. You're just trying to scare us."

"Ness already does that good enough on his own. Just be careful though. He may actually try to scare us."

A hand reached out from under a bush and seized one of Lucas' ankles, causing him to scream. He tried to run, but ended up falling. The others backed away, creeped out. The figure stood up revealing to be Ness, who was laughing. "Hahaha, I got you that time! You should have seen the look on your face!"

Lucas folded his arms and looked away. "I told you he would try to scare us," he muttered to the others.

"What gives? Why did you have to scare us like that?" Toon Link asked, most annoyed of the group.

Ness shrugged, still smirking. "In three days, it will be time. Come on, don't be such a spoilsport! I was only warming up for Halloween."

Malvara smiled again. Until October came, she had no idea what Halloween meant or what it was about. Finding out by curiosity lead her to interest. Scaring others and collecting candy seemed fun to her, also amusing. Wearing costumes wasn't mandatory due to an outbreak of protests, threats and complaints from the villains. Malvara was grateful for that rule to be changed, not wanting to dress up either.

"So, Halloween is only three days away?" came a deep voice from behind the group. They turned around to see that Meta Knight appeared out of no where. "Why does everyone seem so frightened?"

"You shouldn't really sneak up on others like that you know," Malvara replied, the others nodding in agreement. "Especially at a time like this."

"Hmmm, do you perhaps anticipate that Ness is not the only one practicing for Halloween?" Several nods answered his question. And to everyone's surprise, Lucas pointed towards Meta Knight.

A sudden realization dawned upon Malvara as something very surprising finally became understood. She blinked for a moment now knowing she was not dreaming, but this was a reality. "You're participating in Halloween?" She asked quietly. The shock became mutual, except for Meta Knight, who laughed.

"Why not? I would also wish to enjoy Halloween." Meta Knight had two intentions for the upcoming holiday: to scare other unfortunate Smashers in the Haunted House and to score some candy; something he had a soft spot for. He found it too difficult to resist an opportunity of collecting candy so participating would be best.

"Uh, you're scaring me," Lucas said, taking a step backwards.

"Then I suppose that will make my job easier," Meta Knight replied, eyes briefly glowing pink.

"_And I thought Ness was scary."_

With a chuckle, Meta Knight headed back to the gates and swung them open. "You all may want to get ready for bed. It's past midnight and the Master Hand will wonder where you all went." He turned around when he passed the gate and saw the others didn't move. "Are you all afraid I will scare you? I assure you, that is not my intention for tonight."

"He's creepy," Ness said to Lucas, who nodded. The only one not spooked out by him was Malvara. In fact, it would be the truth to say she was amazed. He finally decided to participate in another activity after so long.

"He's right though. We are up past our bedtime and we need to get some sleep." Hearing Malvara respond like that, Meta Knight smiled behind his mask.

--

The following morning was greeted with surprises for the Smashers. The day before Halloween meant extra decorations and supplies would need to be purchased such as candy. Ten large tables of candy surrounded the cafeteria filled with assorted sweets. A large sheet covered every one to prevent anyone from helping themselves until it was Halloween.

Just looking at the covered tables nearly tormented Meta Knight out of his mind. His soft spot for sweets could be very annoying and uncontrollable. Something caught his eye; a lollipop on a table which had neglected to be hidden from sight.

Trying to fight the urge to take the sweet became too much for him to handle. Especially since it was cherry flavoured, his favourite. As each second passed by with him all alone in the cafeteria, he took one step closer to the table. He let go of his cape and reached towards the lollipop. Once secured in his gloved hand, he quietly removed the wrapping and put it in the garbage. Meta Knight made sure no one else was in the room before lifting his mask up all the way, high enough for his face to be visible.

He put the lollipop in his mouth and allowed himself to savour the flavour. A small laugh escaped through his lips which happened whenever he ate candy. Faint footsteps gradually got louder as a figure entered the cafeteria.

Meta Knight gasped from shock and as instinct, slammed the mask down on his face, but he did it too hard. He groaned from agony and pain knowing that would leave a bruise later. Both hands were on his mask, particularly where it hurt the most.

Malvara came in with a confused expression on her face. "Uh, Meta Knight, what are you doing?"

He froze at the sound of her voice. The thought of her almost seeing his face frightened him. "Nothing," he said, too hastily to be convincing.

"…Are you sure you're all right? I heard you scream in pain."

"I'm fine," Meta Knight denied, still trying to drop the subject. "Don't worry about it." He turned the corner before she could respond.

He quickly went in the nearest room he could find which happened to be the bathroom. He thrust the stall door open and locked it behind him. Since the walls were soundproof, he lifted his mask and when the pain came back harder than before, he let out a scream of agony. The scream was so loud, it could be heard through the soundproof walls.

Unfortunately, in the next stall was Lucas who screamed out of fear. He rushed trying to pull up his pants, flush the toilet and leave the bathroom in record time. The door slammed shut after swinging back and forth a few times beforehand. The others in the group looked confused as to why Lucas was so scared.

"Lucas, what happened in there?" Toon Link demanded, sensing his friend's fear.

"T-the b-bathroom…i-it w-w-was so scary! I could have sworn I heard Batman screaming in there!" Lucas said, stuttering almost the entire sentence.

"Oh come on Lucas, those walls are soundproof! You must be crazy to have heard screaming in there!" Toon Link objected. "Meta Knight would never go in that bathroom in a million years. He's a puffball after all."

"Nothing is harmful in the bathroom Lucas. Please calm down. Maybe it was your imagination." Jigglypuff assured, trying to support the scared boy.

"I know that was Batman screaming in there! How do you know for certain he won't hurt me the next time I go back into the bathroom? Especially since it's almost Halloween. He's terrifying!" Lucas protested.

"You're going nuts I swear," Toon Link muttered before Ness kicked him in the shins. "Jeez Ness, what did I do?"

"His name is not Batman," Malvara corrected approaching the group. "He is called Meta Knight and you know it."

"What's so bad about Batman?" Lucas said more in an intimidated whisper rather than a normal tone of voice.

Malvara sighed, rolling her eyes. "It's rude to call someone by a physical trait without their permission. Those names can be offending. How would you like it if someone called you names?"

"Sorry, he didn't mean it," Jigglypuff defended, yet her expression gave an impression she was lying to cover up for her friend. "Lucas is really scared of him that's all. I'm sure he will recover eventually. One of these days, he'll drop the nickname."

"All right, but don't say that around him. I don't want anyone to offend Meta Knight, even if it is just for fun." Her expression lessened up from the stern one previously on her face.

"Will do." Jigglypuff answered for the whole group. "Right Lucas?" He nodded without saying a word. Before they left her sight, Jigglypuff grinned at Malvara knowingly.

"Thank you for understanding." As the group proceeded down the hallway with Lucas ahead of the others, she could hear them still calling him crazy. Malvara smiled a little. She felt good defending Meta Knight, but she had no idea why. Maybe her loyalty was the reason; that had to be it.

The bathroom door opened and to Malvara's surprise, she saw that it was Meta Knight. He didn't expect to see her and gasped from shock but relaxed when no one else was around.

"Were you really in the bathroom?" She asked him as they went down to the cafeteria for supper. He nodded, not giving a verbal explanation. "I heard you gave Lucas quite a scare from what I've heard."

"Did I?" Meta Knight seemed amused that Lucas feared him. "Maybe that was why he has been calling me Batman lately."

Malvara's gaze shifted to the ground. "I tried to tell him to stop saying that but he really didn't want to co-operate. I hope that doesn't offend you."

"No, I don't mind. That nickname is very understandable. Ever since I had a brawl against him, he decided to call me Batman." Once again, Meta Knight's eyes glowed pink.

Malvara took notice of the change of mood, and deciphering what the colour meant was added to her to-do list. She already knew green meant deep thought and red, anger.

Her thoughts went back to before the whole bathroom incident occurred to why it happened in the first place. She remembered going to the cafeteria and seeing Meta Knight in pain for whatever reason she didn't know. After he left, Malvara found a cherry flavoured lollipop on the ground. She had suspicions Meta Knight had a soft spot for treats but needed some kind of proof to confirm her theory to be correct.

A plan came to her, one that was bound to work. She stole a candy from under a sheet when no one noticed and snuck up to the bedroom knowing it would be another hour or so until he came upstairs. Quietly, she laughed.

--

Meta Knight opened the door to the bedroom and silently closed it behind him without making a sound. Reading seemed like something he would want to do at the moment. He climbed onto his bed being so short and turned on the table lamp. Instead of seeing his book, a chocolate in shiny wrapping replaced it. Instead of feeling annoyed, the candy attracted him, allowing his soft spot to surface.

He lifted up his mask and slipped the candy underneath. The inside of the chocolate was filled with creamy strawberry icing. Meta Knight laughed a little, smiling. Candy brought out his cute side which Malvara secretly began to adore.

Malvara continued to hide behind her bed witnessing her plan confirm her suspicions. He did indeed like sweets which would explain why she found a lollipop at the cafeteria. She giggled a little at her surprising discovery.

Meta Knight's laughs ceased, leaving the room silent and without any sounds other than the wind blowing outside. He swallowed the candy without savouring it any further. His voice projected across the room with no emotion at all demanding a response. "Who is there?"

Malvara bit her lip. Crap, she gave herself away when everything had worked as planned. She stood up, ashamed of herself. "It's only me Meta Knight. I'm sorry! I-"

"Were you the one who put that candy there to discover that I had a soft spot for treats?" Again, no definite emotion could be heard.

"…Yes. I'm sorry! I was only curious after this afternoon and-"

Meta Knight sat up straight. "The next time you decide to do something like this…" Malvara tensed up, fearing the next part of the sentence. "Could you leave _more than one_? I must say, those chocolates were delicious. I would love to have more of those."

Malvara sighed from relief. "So…you're not angry?"

"Angry? No, not at all." He seemed astounded by the question. Then his eyes shone pink again. "Where did you get that kind of chocolate? It is my favourite."

"Oh, well, I stole it from the cafeteria…" Malvara admitted. Meta Knight chuckled.

"So, you've been stealing? Maybe I should try that sometime."

Malvara shifted slightly. "Ah, no, I don't think you want to. You have Halloween to do that."

Meta Knight's eyes turned green for a moment. "And perhaps, scare the other Smashers?"

"I have a really bad feeling about this."

--

Outside the Haunted House, the graveyard bells rang and echoed through the strong and whistling winds. Everyone stood outside the doors waiting for the Master Hand to announce they were allowed to go inside. Once in a while the door or shingles would creak adding to the tense mood. It was so silent, anyone could heard hear even a pebble move out of place. Some shifted uncomfortably from the suspense. In the distance, the Master Hand and the Crazy Hand floated over to the doors. Slowly, they opened, only showed darkness. A few doubted entering the spooky house.

"You all may enter now. You will all be warned now once you enter, no one is permitted to leave until someone finds the secret treasure. You can divide into pairs, groups or stay alone if you wish. Once the secret treasure is found, you all will have the task of finding the exit yourself. If you in desperate need, you may inform the Crazy Hand or myself using a cell phone provided when you set foot inside. Good luck to all of you."

Everyone cautiously took small steps towards the Haunted House…

"Come on Marth!" Ike urged while running ahead of the others. "You too Link, hurry up!" As soon as he entered, the outside world disappeared and the entrance only displayed nothingness. Ike wasn't afraid and decided to spook out the others. He let out a fake and scary terrified scream. Marth and Link facepalmed.

From outside, Lucas screamed hiding behind his friends. Toon Link laughed, nudging him further. "No, don't make me go in there! Please, don't!"

"I plan to. Don't be such a coward, Ike's only fooling around," Toon Link said, pushing Lucas inside with the rest of the group following. The other Smashers seemed less reluctant to go inside. The only one unfazed by any of this was Meta Knight. He was the next one to enter with Malvara at his side. She stayed close beside him for support and to reduce her fear a little. He didn't seem to be afraid of anything.

"So these are the cell phones?" Malvara asked once she and Meta Knight found a pile of them by the door.

"It would seem so." He took one in his hand and looked at it closely then tucked it away in his cape. How anything could fit in it, Malvara didn't know. She followed him as they progressed through the house.

It felt equivalent to another dimension. The walls so far were chipped, dull grey bricks covered in a substance resembling lime green slime. The only source of light was provided by torches lit with white flame. Each hallway divided itself into two sections, almost like a maze. Once in a while a bat would fly down the holes in the damaged chimneys and a ghastly scream would echo off the walls.

The first five minutes were creepy compared to the next five. Coffin doors crumbled, revealing Re-deads. Malvara gasped, stepping backwards. Meta Knight glanced at her, eyes pink. He took a step forward causing her to turn away. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see what the Re-dead would do. A scream emitted from it, scaring her further.

Suddenly she heard a pop. Malvara blinked and turned around to find out what happened.

"Hmmm, so that was supposed to be 'scary.'" Meta Knight said, sheathing his sword. A Re-dead balloon lay in pieces at the ground with a recorder inside. "Come," he told Malvara, who returned to his side.

"How did that not scare you?" She asked, still not believing what she saw earlier.

"The Master Hand would not put anything 'real,' so to say, in here to threaten our safety in any way. Remembering everything in here is fake will make you less afraid," Meta Knight explained.

"I hope that is true."

--

Toon Link, Jigglypuff, Kirby, Ness, Lucas and Yoshi were heading in the opposite direction of Meta Knight and Malvara. After turning the corner, the green slime transformed into blazing flame and the hallway dimmed considerably. The following room greeted them with coffins which crumbled revealing Re-deads. Toon Link occupied himself by telling scary stories that he was oblivious to what was going on.

Lucas took notice first of the Re-deads. "L-Look over there! I-it's-"

Ness blocked his view and said casually, "Oh, I'm sure it's nothing. You must be going crazy. Come on, we're getting closer to that secret treasure." Lucas relaxed trying to believe his friend's words.

"Ness is right. Let's move on, shall we?" Jigglypuff added. Fortunately for Ness, Lucas believed his word more now that someone agreed with him. They passed through with Toon Link still oblivious.

The next room had no light whatsoever, leaving the group with nothing to see besides darkness. At last Toon Link realized something was different with the background. "Where did everything go? Where is everyone?" He turned to see the others hovering outside the doorway. "Are you scared of a little darkness? Come on you cowards!" Toon Link looked behind him to see a dark shadow form on the ground in front of him.

Out of the hole rose a shadow-like hand aiming to grab him and pull him down. Toon Link froze in fear, screaming. The Floor Master proceeded to pull him the hole and he lost all awareness of his surroundings.

Fox and Falco heard screaming as they turned around the hallway and frantic footsteps hurrying away from the next room. They wondered what could have scared Jigglypuff, Ness, Lucas, Yoshi and Kirby, but shrugged.

"We're braver than them aren't we?" Falco said confidently. Fox only nodded in response.

When he could hear Fox yelling from behind he turned around to see him in the clutches of a Floor Master. Falco turned and started shooting at the Floor Master but another one appeared and grabbed him too. Both were pulled under and not visible anymore.

Meanwhile, Ganondorf admired the paintings and scenery as he passed by each one. He respected all the ones resembling traits of what he would put in his castle when he became the greatest evil lord to exist.

"What an exquisite vase," he commented while fifteen Floor Masters were attempting to pull him below the ground. "When I become an evil lord once again, I should put one of these in my new mansion."

Apparently he was too heavy for them to succeed.

--

It seemed the Floor Masters were still after more people trying to bring them to another location anywhere in the Haunted House. Their next targets presently were located the closest to the treasure room. They needed to take them elsewhere to keep the treasure secured and safe.

Meta Knight and Malvara cautiously proceeded down the hall about to enter another room. Like the ones others encountered, no light was present except for Meta Knight's glowing eyes. It provided some comfort for Malvara, but at the same time, it could be creepy too.

She opened her mouth to say something when Meta Knight suddenly pulled her in the shadows where they could not be seen. He motioned for her to stay quiet. Lucas and his friends came into view from around the corner and Meta Knight chuckled in a way that scared Malvara.

"Don't worry Lucas, we're nearly there," Jigglypuff reassured the blonde boy who was desperately trying to keep calm.

"This way is correct for sure!" Toon Link agreed.

"We've spent over an hour so far and nowhere lead us to the right path." Ness objected, Kirby and Yoshi agreeing.

Lucas suddenly stopped, causing the others to bump into him.

"What was that for?"

"Something's here," Lucas replied fearfully. From the ceiling, a faint figure could be seen in the corner. A spherical shape could be made out yet wings silently moved position once in a while.

"Nonsense Lucas, it's just your imagination," Toon Link continued to walk down the hallway, pretending he never had been scared from earlier. Being separated from the others for ten minutes was a terrifying experience but he wouldn't admit it. Deep down he desired to be as brave as his older self and equally matched in power, maybe more than that.

Meta Knight turned around allowing his glowing eyes to be distinctly seen against the darkness. He took out his sword and flew down at mach speed towards the group. They screamed, even Toon Link as he fell backwards taking the others down with him. Ness and Lucas pushed him off and ran for their lives. The only one who stayed behind was Kirby who was still smiling as usual. The others already left without him.

Kirby continued to smile cheerfully and like a sixth sense, he knew it was only Meta Knight. He jumped onto his back knocking him down to the ground. Upon contact, his wings reverted to his cape. He groaned from the pain while Kirby snuggled against his mentor.

Malvara heard something behind her and saw that a Floor Master an inch away from her face. This sight made Meta Knight angry. No Floor Master would touch her…ever. As quick as lightning, he swung his sword and destroyed it. It fell to the ground with a soft thud and disintegrated until it completely disappeared. "Meta Knight, you weren't supposed to do that. They were only an obstacle."

Meta Knight slowly put his sword away, embarrassed. Twice he made a fool of himself. Malvara could have sworn his eyes briefly flashed purple. "I…apologize…" He continued through the hallway acting as though nothing ever happened. Malvara and Kirby followed silently behind.

The next room resembled a graveyard with tombstones and trees. The light from the hallway outlines the shapes composing the design and layout. A black staircase provided the path to the top floor. The three passed through with no trouble.

"I can't believe there's another floor in here. I thought this was only a maze." Malvara spoke, ending the awkward silence.

"It is still a maze, only larger than anticipated," Meta Knight replied, pace slowing down. A rare mischievous glint was seen in his eyes as they glowed pink. He picked up some boards scattered on the ground and unsheathed his sword. Malvara and Kirby watched, confused as to what he was doing. Once done, it revealed itself to be a treasure chest. Inside, a scream recorder was placed; one that used to be in a fake Re-dead. Meta Knight put the 'treasure chest' in the middle of the room where it could easily be seen by any other Smashers.

"That's mean," Malvara scolded him after they went upstairs. Meta Knight laughed in response. As annoyed as she felt at him taking opportunity to scare the other Smashers or trick them, she loved hearing him laugh. She turned to face him, but he was gone. Even Kirby seemed as confused as well.

Suddenly, a pair of amber eyes became visible in front of her. Malvara shrieked taken by surprise while Kirby laughed. How embarrassed she felt realizing in front of her was Meta Knight all along. When she wouldn't look at him, he laughed so loud, it echoed off the walls.

Malvara noticed his eyes pink again. "So, you find this amusing? Do you really find enjoyment out of scaring others?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Again, his mysterious ways intrigued her. Nothing seemed to frighten him which in her opinion, was abnormal. If he could scare her like that, maybe she could too.

Kirby looked around to see Malvara disappeared. Knowing what she currently was planning, he pretended not to notice her slip into the shadows.

"Do you know where Malvara went?" Meta Knight questioned Kirby after passing another hallway of fake coffins. A confused 'poyo' confirmed to Meta Knight that Malvara's whereabouts were unknown. It worried him a little but tried not to think anything of it.

Malvara grinned as Meta Knight walked into her trap. On the nearest fake tombstone lay a chocolate taunting at him. He chuckled; eyes brightening as he carefully took it out of the wrapper. He quickly lifted his mask to eat it when a scream emitted from it, startling him. It dropped from his hand as he fell backwards. A sense of chagrin overwhelmed him when he heard Malvara laughing.

"Very funny," he said sarcastically, standing up off the ground.

Malvara smiled. "I thought you weren't scared of anything. Just wanted to make sure, that's all."

Meta Knight looked down, once again embarrassed as Kirby snuggled up to his side. Too uncomfortable with the awkward silence, Meta Knight continued onward motioning for the other two to follow him. The whole way there, Kirby sat upon the top of his mentor's cape.

--

"Aw sweet, look guys we found treasure! We've won!" Toon Link cheered pointing to the chest once he and his friends made it to the graveyard room.

"Really?" Ness and Lucas exclaimed in unison. Screams echoed through the hallways and the group ran up the stairs trying to leave as quickly as they could. Something caught their attention; the Crazy Hand covered in a dripping red substance floating to the next room.

"Was that…the Crazy Hand?" Lucas asked, reverting to his scared-of-nearly-everything self.

Jigglypuff nodded. "How I wish it wasn't. We have to help him, he must be seriously injured!"

Malvara screamed and held onto Meta Knight's arm when the Crazy Hand came into her view. He smiled and let her continue to hold onto him. Though he wouldn't admit it, he liked the feeling. "M-Meta Knight, the Crazy Hand is…"

"No, he is not. It is only an act to scare everyone reaching the treasure, like us for example."

"But he…was covered in b-blood!"

"That was only red paint Malvara. The Master Hand would not allow this place to seriously harm his brother." He looked into her eyes, causing her heart to skip a beat. "I have seen more blood in my lifetime than you can imagine. I know the difference."

The response made Malvara a little uneasy. "Were you in a war or something? Is that how you can tell?"

Meta Knight stayed silent, indicating the subject was touchy for him to speak of. "We are almost there. Come."

No one spoke for the rest of the way there. During that time, Malvara became curious of Meta Knight's past. She hoped one day, he would tell her.

Kirby's happy poyoing told her they made it to the treasure room. Small laughs also led her to the conclusion the prize must have been lots of candy, maybe the ones under the sheets back at the cafeteria. Malvara smiled seeing more of those chocolates Meta Knight loved so much. He definitely would have _more than one_.

"Hmmm, what is this?" Malvara turned to see Meta Knight looking at a wiring system; one that resembled that of an intercom. Attached to it were a cell phone…and a microphone

No good would result from this.

Kirby smiled mischieveiously and opened his mouth to inhale. While Meta Knight still stood in place, Malvara clung onto him tightly as not to be sucked into Kirby's mouth. The microphone slid from the intercom nearing him more. Into his mouth, it went. With that copy ability present, Meta Knight even seemed scared. Malvara opened her mouth to ask what was wrong.

Kirby sang into the microphone as best as he could. Malvara and Meta Knight both shuddered from the horror of it all. Vocals easily alerted the other Smashers doom was to come. Thus, screams joined in.

A few bricks crumbled as a signal for Meta Knight and Malvara to run for their lives. She never been more grateful for the fact Meta Knight knew which way to go. Any Smashers they passed by where commanded to evacuate.

"What happened here?!" the Master Hand shouted when everyone made it safely outside.

Roars of complaints and jeers came in response. Only did Malvara realize she never let go of Meta Knight's arm the whole time they were evacuating. Even as she thought about that, her gloved hand still held onto him. His skin felt so warm in her gloved hands and she didn't want for the moment to end. If it had been months ago, back when the Third Tournament began, he wouldn't have tolerated anyone touching him and Malvara knew it.

Perhaps their trust deepened more than she thought. For a split second, she could have sworn he leaned closer to her side. Malvara knew under the mask, Meta Knight was smiling. As everyone ratted Kirby out, Malvara inched closer to him until her side nearly touched his.

Not once did he protest or pull away. Maybe Halloween wasn't as bad as she predicted it may be.

"_Maybe getting involved is fun after all."_


	6. Shocking Discovery

Shocking Discovery: Chapter Six

Small drops of rain fell from the pale and cloudy November sky as morning shifted over to noon. The ground became soaked in all the wet moisture and the balconies for the bedrooms were in the same state. Even with the heating provided in the Smash Mansion, everything felt damp and cold.

Four days passed since Halloween, and tomorrow Thanksgiving would arrive. A few Smashers still slept keeping warm in their bed. One did not sympathize with the others in being cold, but to endure its everlasting drops.

As the drops of rain kept falling from the sky, Meta Knight stood on the balcony with his cape wrapped around himself. The cape clung tightly to his skin, both wet after the three hours spent outside. Occasionally a drop would slip under his mask, stinging his cheeks from the unusual feeling. So absorbed into his thoughts, he didn't notice.

None of the chilly temperature bothered him as his eyes glowed green in deep thought. Lately his thoughts needed sorting out so he would come to the balcony to be alone, and unfortunately, it happened to rain of one of those days. So much plagued his mind; matter in which he refused to utter a word about.

The bedroom door opened as Malvara returned from eating lunch at the cafeteria with her friend, Jigglypuff. A shiver traveled throughout her circular form as another breeze blew through the open balcony doors. Wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm, she took quick steps to the balcony. "Meta Knight! How long have you been out there for? You must be cold!"

He turned, his eyes reverting to their usual yellow. "Malvara, I didn't see you there. Were you downstairs eating lunch by any chance?"

"Yes, and while I was eating, you must have been standing there, freezing to death!" Her expression became serious. "You've been out on that balcony all morning haven't you?"

He nodded as if to say _"Yes and what of it?"_ in response. Malvara twitched slightly from agitation.

"You must be cold! See, you're completely soaked!" Her hand took hold of Meta Knight's cape and pulled him inside, tightly shutting the doors. He stared into her eyes, confused by her actions. With the breeze gone, he realized how cold he felt and shivered uncontrollably.

"W-What w-was t-that f-f-for?" He asked, stuttering with every word.

"You're even shivering! I don't want you freezing to death for no reason! No one else may care, but I happen to." Malvara handed him a warm blanket. "Do as I say or I will report this to the Master Hand."

"W-Wouldn't t-that b-be too extreme for this? I said I-I w-was f-fine," Meta Knight protested.

Malvara's expression became stern. "You think I won't do it? Listen to me. This is for your own good."

"Fine, w-what is it?" Meta Knight spoke, more clearly this time.

"Go into that bathroom right there," Malvara began, pointing to the one connected to their room. "and take off that armour. Any cloth material should be put in the dryer and armour should be dried with a towel in the cupboards. Until that is done, you may use that blanket to keep warm."

Meta Knight stared at her for a moment. Realizing she was serious, he nodded and quickly made his way to the door. When it closed, Malvara smiled. She deeply grown attached to him and with those feelings, she felt responsible for his well being. After a minute passed, she knocked on the door. "Done yet?"

"Yes," came the uncomfortable reply from the other side. It was obvious to her that he obeyed her commands. "Until my armour dries, I am not coming out."

"…Is something wrong?"

From the bathroom, Meta Knight kept the blanket wrapped around himself. "Yes. You expect me to come out of this room without any armour?"

"Well…" She faltered. "What are you so ashamed of? It's not there's anything wrong with yourself."

"There is Malvara and I am not saying what. I never go anywhere unless I wear my armour, end of story." Meta Knight replied, scowling.

While Meta Knight stayed in the bathroom, Malvara sat on her bed, reading a book she borrowed from the library. For the next hour, Meta Knight stayed seated on the floor, wishing for his armour to be dried quicker. He hated his appearance and the reasons, he intended to keep to himself.

When the dryer beeped indicating the armour dried, Meta Knight put it back on in less than thirty seconds. The door opened the same time Malvara put her book down. She smiled at him, happy she helped him. "Better?"

"Much better," he replied. It may have been awkward without the armour, but the warmth was worth it. He felt happy inside that someone cared for his well being. "Thank you."

"And remember," Malvara told him. "Don't do that again. If you're so keen on going outside on a rainy day, I'll talk to the Master Hand about setting up an umbrella for the balcony or something. Please don't suffer like that again. Promise me."

"All right Malvara. I promise I will not do that again."

"Promise what?" She persisted, grinning.

"I promise I will not freeze to death outside in the rain again," Meta Knight vowed.

"Thanks. Now that we came to an understanding to that, why don't we help the other Smashers with the Thanksgiving dinner?" Malvara looked into his eyes upon speaking.

"Sure, I do not see why not." She thought for certain his side was only an inch away from hers.

--

"No Kirby, please put that back. That will only give Mario ideas!" Zelda said, with Peach at her side agreeing. Kirby reluctantly put the pasta and spaghetti sauce back in the kitchen cupboards. The thought of eating blueberry pancakes topped with spaghetti sauce and garlic revolted everyone, even the Crazy Hand and Kirby.

"I know that wasn't your intentions Kirby, but Mario's trying to cut down on that stuff. It's easy for him to crave it again," Peach said. "How about you get the turkey from the freezer? That will help us a lot."

Kirby grinned and did as he was told. When helping in the kitchen, he was taught self discipline, meaning not to inhale what they were preparing. So far in the first hour, the Smashers decided on preparing beets, cut up vegetables, potatoes, garlic bread rolls, spicy curry and fresh corn on the cob and turkey.

In one section of the kitchen were Meta Knight and Malvara, in charge of cooking the herb cream cheese potatoes. Since it was inadvisable to cook with gloves on, Meta Knight had to take them off. He didn't mind as much, considering their section was empty and the two of them were alone.

Malvara still tried to recover from shock as his back was turned. Her eyes gazed at his ungloved hands when he occupied himself in cutting up the potatoes. Each cut perfectly down the middle and into quarters. When he put them in a bowl, he caught her gazing at his hands.

"Is something the matter?"

Malvara looked away, hiding the fact her face turned a darker shade of pink. "No, nothing."

Though Meta Knight was not convinced by her reply, he resumed making the potatoes. He put half of the whole cream cheese in the container, more than recommended on the recipe. His hand went to reach for the chili powder when a crash came from the other side of the kitchen.

Kirby dropped the turkey due to Dedede sticking his foot out to trip him. Luckily, it still had its covering on so it could still be cooked.

"Dedede that was mean!" Peach scolded while others glared in his direction. Meta Knight turned to see what happened while his hand still tried to grab the chili powder. Instead, he ended up taking brown sugar and sprinkled it over the potatoes. Malvara saw that, disgusted, getting the impression he couldn't cook.

Toon Link, Jigglypuff, Ness, Yoshi and Lucas were doing well with their tasks opposed to the unique dishes Meta Knight prepared. To everyone's surprise, Lucas cooked the best in their group. Malvara wished they were doing as well as they were. She gazed at the next dish Meta Knight was cooking to see he added chili powder to the beets.

"What's that smell?" Ike asked to seemingly no one. A cough followed by the question indicated he hated chili mixed in the beet juice. Malvara gasped when he headed in their direction.

"Meta Knight, cover those beets quickly! Don't ask why, just do it!" Her frantic tone told him something was wrong. As to what perplexed him.

He covered the beets with a glass lid for the dish, blocking some of the smell from the chili powder melting into the purple liquid.

"Do you two know what that awful smell was?" Ike questioned them, sensing the smell becoming strongest near their station.

"No, we don't know! Honestly," Malvara replied. Ike took a closer look at the covered dish.

"Then what's inside that dish you covered up?" Ike said, grinning.

Malvara took a step backwards, trying to come up with a convincing lie. "Um…Spaghetti! At least, an attempt. First time, you see. Well, you better be heading back to-"

"Spaghetti?! Where?" Mario asked, craving his favourite dish. A crazed look of desire filled his eyes, appearing like two dishes of blueberry pancakes topped with spaghetti sauce and garlic. He flexed his non-existent muscles. "I want spaghetti!"

Malvara realized what she said and put both hands over her mouth. Her face turned a light shade of scarlet knowing what she did. When the Smashers turned her way, she ducked down under the counter of her station. The only one not angry that Mario reverted to his spaghetti loving self was Meta Knight, who glared at anyone looking their way.

A few that did glare were intimidated by Meta Knight and returned to their cooking. He put their dishes on the table and left, motioning for Malvara to follow him.

"Thanks a lot. Just when Mario was learning to cut down on spaghetti…" Meta Knight heard someone mutter behind him directed at Malvara.

"Shut up," he hissed in reply, causing everyone to fall silent.

No one spoke until Meta Knight closed the bedroom door behind them. When he did decide to speak did not relate to what happened earlier. Whether he did not want to bring up the subject to allow her to settle down or not, she was unsure, but she appreciated that. Malvara knew Meta Knight wouldn't want her to be hurt.

"Where are you going?" She asked when he headed towards the bathroom door.

He stopped for a moment to respond. "To take a bath."

"Oh…Thank you for being there for me earlier…That was so kind of you." Malvara said gratefully, face warmer than usual.

Meta Knight nodded, smiling. Coming back to the bathroom reminded him of her kindness earlier that morning. He need time to sort out his thoughts; where he could remove his armour without shame. When he slid off his cape, the wings took its place on his back. Meta Knight extended an ungloved hand behind to scratch an itch on one of his wings. How annoying they could be sometimes.

Once he sat down in the warm, comfortable water, he relaxed, being so tensed up for a long time. Being a puffball as well as Malvara, their bathroom only needed a washing machine, dryer, sink and a shallower bathtub. The shower curtains gave Meta Knight the privacy he needed and he enjoyed taking baths, but never would he admit such a thing aloud.

He sighed from content, leaning against the side of the bathtub. Quietly he hummed while closing his eyes, relaxed.

Meanwhile back in the bedroom, Malvara took out her sketchpad she kept inside her dresser and a pencil. She closed her eyes to picture her inspiration in her mind. She glided her pencil across the sheet, eyes still closed, imagining a certain someone gazing into her eyes. Malvara included shading and a background; the garden with all the flowers.

The finished product startled her, being so accurate in detail and dimensions. The perfect drawing of Meta Knight made her feel fuzzy inside. She could hear his relaxing voice inside her mind.

"_I would also wish to enjoy Halloween."_

The door opened, causing her to drop her drawing. She quickly took it in her hand and hid it under her pillow. Meta Knight noticed her paler face and went to her side. "Is something troubling you?"

"Ah, no…Thanks for your concern." Malvara tried to fake a smile. "So, how was your bath?"

"Very relaxing. What have you been doing during that time?" Her grin faded.

"Something…personal, nothing you'd want to know." She hoped that he would understand the hint. His reaction told her he did, but his curiosity caused him to ask further.

"Is something wrong? You seem warmer than usual." He took off a glove and placed his hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. She felt herself blush, skin feeling warmer on Meta Knight's hand. He chuckled. "You are rather embarrassed about something, it would seem. If you feel that uncomfortable, I understand." He put his glove back on.

Malvara couldn't speak. It was the first time he purposely came into contact with her. Sure, she loved the feeling of his soft skin touching hers, but it couldn't be the reason for the blushing and awkward silences. She forced herself to say something so he wouldn't worry. "Thank you. I'm fine, really. We'll, I better be going. Important business, very urgent."

Meta Knight smiled, knowing that wasn't true, but let it pass. "All right then."

Malvara leaned against the door once she left the room, trying not to hyperventilate. _"How does he do that? He's…so amazing."_

--

The moon rose up into the sky as gentle, calm winds blew across the garden. Even with the chilly weather, the flowers still managed to survive. Malvara held a midnight blue rose in her hand. The beauty of the flower amazed her; like someone else she knew very well. Each smooth petal reminded her of holding onto Meta Knight's arm. How warm it was. She cleared her mind of those thoughts.

"_What's happening to me? I never experienced feelings so complicated before. Perhaps I'm going crazy. I did anticipate the Smash Mansion might do that," _Malvara thought to herself. _"There's no reason to be thinking like this under any circumstance. Inexcusable."_

The sound of clinking armour from behind startled her. Malvara tipped forward, almost landing in the fountain waves. Before she connected with the chilly waters, she found herself in a reassuring and gentle grasp. Malvara opened her eyes to see Meta Knight holding her in his arms. Her heart almost stopped from shock.

His wings transformed into his cape once he gracefully landed on the ground. She was released from his grip. She wished she could have stayed in his arms forever, but mentally forced herself to stop with those thoughts.

"And you tell me not to freeze to death," he whispered softly. She scowled a little.

"I didn't fall on purpose. You startled me, appearing out of no where like that." His response to that comment was a soft laugh.

"I apologize. It is not my fault if you were not paying attention."

Malvara's face went a deep shade of pink. "I was paying attention."

Meta Knight pointed to the midnight blue rose in her hand she still held in her grasp. "…Really? It seemed as though you were admiring the flowers at the time."

"Well, midnight blue is my favourite colour, so…" The realization of what she said dawned upon her. Meta Knight also happened to be dark blue. His eyes flickered a light shade of blue for a moment.

"I must say, chocolate brown is excessively gorgeous," he replied, gazing at her. The eye that was visible happened to be brown and with that unexpected response, Malvara blushed.

Moments passed, with the two sharing a more comfortable silence. Even the sound of Meta Knight's armour when he made the smallest movement brought her back to reality, like her mind wished for her to savour the moment.

"I suppose we should be going to bed now." Meta Knight spoke when the clock struck midnight. Malvara nodded, standing up. Before the moment truly ended, there was something she must do.

"Can I ask you something?"

Meta Knight froze in place. "Go ahead."

"Do…you think I am a monster?" Her eyes closed for a moment, hating herself for asking him such a thing. Time passed slowly, the mood tensioning for her immensely. His reply may determine if she should tell him the truth.

Meta Knight's eyes shone green for a minute to comprehend her question. "No, I do not," he replied, tone soft yet serious at the same time. "Why would I ever think that of you?"

Malvara could only nod to acknowledge she heard his response. She didn't gaze at Meta Knight to hide the fact her eyes were teary. Her tightening throat prevented her from saying a word. _"I just cannot tell him. For once, I thought that wish would come true. It would be understandable such hope is false, especially for something like me."_

"Sorry I asked. Forget I said anything."

Behind Meta Knight's mask, his expression showed confusion. _"What did she mean by that? Malvara is hiding something, I am definitely sure of that. Whatever is bothering her must be…really painful."_

--

"I am pleased to announce that Thanksgiving has finally come. I am grateful to everyone who helped prepare a dish for the occasion. We celebrate to give thanks for the food in which we will be eating," the Master Hand told the Smashers.

Malvara noticed Meta Knight was no where to be found at the large table. His seat remained vacant, and even a few others saw that too. No one knew where he went and whenever he disappeared like that, it greatly concerned her.

Kirby happened to see her worried, feeling the same way. A few would have spoken up but the Master Hand was too busy rambling on about the meaning of Thanksgiving. It took about ten more minutes for him to finish his speech. By then, every minute irritated Malvara. Some nearly fell asleep, like Ike, only staying awake due to Marth and Link.

"…and I hope you all enjoy the meal. You may eat now…"

Malvara got out from her chair and snuck down to the hallway. She didn't care if anyone noticed her gone too. Eating could wait until later. Finding Meta Knight's location came first on her priorities. Silently she opened the main doors and stepped outside.

**

Meta Knight sat down at the fountain sides, gazing into the waters at his reflection. His mask was beside him, off of his face. He detested his "childish" appearance immensely. Being adorable did not suit him and with such hate he wished he could cast away the reflection.

He resembled Kirby almost exactly with the exception of completely solid white eyes. His cheeks looked as though they were constantly blushing. Faintly, a scar marked the left side of his face below one of his pink, blushing cheeks. Meta Knight never accepted his appearance mainly due to the scars and the cute vibe it gave off to others.

Yet, gazing at the waters seemed to mesmerize him, even with his 'adorable' reflection.

"Meta Knight, is that you?"

That voice unmistakably belonged to Malvara. Gasping, he put the mask back on, not painfully this time. He glanced at his reflection making sure the mask was properly on his face having panicked when putting it back on. "I'm right here Malvara. Is something the matter? You seem worried."

"Thanksgiving begun and I didn't see you anywhere so I decided to look for you. I guess checking here was a good choice." Malvara jumped up to the fountain's edge and sat down beside Meta Knight. "Are you sure you aren't hungry? You never go down to the cafeteria."

"I'm fine Malvara." By now, she kind of expected that sort of response.

"Do you ever eat?" She asked him, curiosity getting the best of her.

The question took Meta Knight by surprise. No one questioned him of that before, but this was Malvara who asked him. Telling her should not be a problem. "I do eat," he began. "I prefer to be by myself. The last thing I want on your mind is that I starve myself. Mostly I eat early in the morning before anyone else is awake."

Malvara sighed with relief. "Oh, well, you see…I felt worried about you. I'm glad you eat something though."

A voice froze her in place, almost stopping her heartbeat. "When will you stop hiding who you really are? How much longer must you hide the truth?"

Meta Knight and Malvara swiftly turned in Isaken's direction who appeared from seemingly thin air as if he was expecting them to be there.

Malvara's gaze shifted to the ground, both shoulders tensing up. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I am saying. You knew eventually that you have to return to the darkness in which you belong."

Malvara glared at Isaken with such hatred that would intimidate anyone happening to gaze her way. Meta Knight unsheathed his sword, eyes glowing red. He stood in front of her as a sign of protection.

Isaken chuckled, not at all frightened in the slightest. "You know Malvara, you will have to accept that you are a monster. Why cause so much pain by hiding that fact?"

Malvara's fists tightened. "Shut up," she hissed in a sharp and deadly tone.

"Even the most loyal of monsters know when to hold their tongue." Isaken turned to Meta Knight. "Did Malvara ever tell you the truth?"

"What truth?" Those words slipped from his vocal before he could stop himself.

Isaken turned his back to the two, focus intent on the nearly full moon. "Malvara is a creation made in a research lab by the hands of Tabuu."

Those words shocked Meta Knight beyond belief. He felt as though his breath had been taken away but continued to listen to what Isaken had to say. He suspected Malvara was hiding something but he hadn't expected the truth.

"Many years ago, an organization planned on taking over the universe with the power of science and technology. Tabuu, the leader, decided to produce many creations with the data we collected over their many years of research. These creatures were designed to repel those of an opposing force to Tabuu's; Nightmare Enterprises. Tabuu spent time and effort to create the perfect minion with the purpose to improve their research and power. This creature was made from a previously successful demon designed to crave blood inside others when thirsty. Ten years passed and the Malicious Vampire Experiment was finally finished, also known as Malvara."

"We thought the demon was perfect when we heard the news of its completion. Yet when we saw its appearance, we were utterly disappointed. It failed to acquire a menacing appearance and until it was too late, we realized it possessed a heart and will of its own. We needed the project to kill the strongest demon Nightmare created, the leader of the opposing force. Due to the failure's errors, we never discovered what it was. We scheduled Malvara to undergo several experiments to correct the mistakes in her creation.

"More years passed and success never came no matter how many more experiments she endured." Hate became audible in Isaken's voice. "We noticed she disappeared recently at the same time Tabuu scheduled to alter her, mutation, to put it that way."

"It seemed you have been here all this time, Malicious Vampire Experiment. Have you not told Meta Knight of what you were destined to be: a bloodthirsty killer?"

Malvara glanced at Meta Knight who still comprehended all this information. She looked away, expected him to hate her.

"Malvara may have been created as a monster, but that doesn't mean she is one deep down inside. With a heart and will of her own, she does not have to be bound to that purpose. She can choose her fate. I would never think differently of her."

A sudden lightness filled Malvara's heart. He accepted her for who she was, even knowing the truth of where she came from and her destiny.

"Hmph, I'll give you time to think over your last statement Meta Knight. I would be glad to know when you change your mind." Isaken turned his back and left the two alone.

Malvara gazed into his eyes. "Did you really mean that Meta Knight? You don't...mind?"

"No, I do not mind. Perhaps now that I am aware, I can understand you better." Meta Knight inched closer to her side. "I was wondering why you asked me if you were a monster last night. I knew something was bothering you and I feel better knowing the truth. You did not have to hide it; I would never have thought any differently of you."

Malvara's eyes filled with tears she tried desperately to hold back. "Y-You still accept me…I-I'm so happy!"

"I will always be there for you if you need me. You need to understand that." Before he could stop himself, he wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace. Her heart was like a war; threatening to stop or fly away from happiness. The touch comforted her and she hugged Meta Knight back, startling him at first. His skin still felt warm through her gloved hands.

Meanwhile, behind a nearby tree, Snake smiled, putting away a camera. So far, he had done well in his plan.

Meta Knight released her awkwardly a minute later, realizing what he did. How strange it felt for him to touch someone like that. Hesitantly, he wrapped his cape around his body.

"Well, I guess we better head back inside. The Master Hand will be worried about us. Knowing him, he probably saved some leftovers. Are you hungry?"

"No," Meta Knight replied. "I'm fine." To his embarrassment, his stomach growled after the words left his mouth. Gaze shifting to the ground, he looked away awkwardly.

Malvara chuckled. "Your stomach disagrees with you. Follow me, I'll find you something to eat before we go to bed." She led Meta Knight back to the Smash Mansion. With a soft thud, the main doors closed behind them.

The Master Hand, like Malvara predicted, did save leftover food from Thanksgiving. She held in her giggles seeing Meta Knight eat. It almost looked like he was trying to eat his hand when he put the food underneath his mask; she remembered how surprised she was the first time back when they were out on a picnic together.

"Thank you so much for understanding. I thought you would have hated me when you found out what I really am," Malvara said to Meta Knight when they both were getting ready for bed.

"I would never hate you no matter what you are," he said in a soft whisper. "By understanding the truth I will be able to relate better."

Something about Meta Knight's response stuck out to Malvara; the bit about relating. Why did that seem suspicious to her? A gasp escaped her when two arms wrapped around her from behind. Her shoulders relaxed physically, recognizing Meta Knight's familiar presence.

"Sleep well," she heard him say so softly, almost inaudible, yet she could understand it as though he had been speaking in a regular tone. His hand stroked along her arm a moment before he separated, walking to his own bed with admirable grace. Her eyelids slowly closed, sleep coming easy after spending so much time with Meta Knight and the truth finally told, not tormenting her inside any longer.

For the next hours, she dreamt of Meta Knight until the sun rose at six in the morning. It was the first happy dream she had in her life.


	7. Mortified

Mortified: Chapter Seven

"_Why did I even come here?" _The same question repeated itself while Malvara continued to listen to the others girls keep talking. The morning of Christmas Eve came and everyone looked forward to the party. So far, nothing interesting happened as Peach kept rambling on about the dates the other Smashers invited to the Smash Mansion for the Christmas Party. Dates were the last thing Malvara wanted on her mind.

In the past month, she developed a crush on Meta Knight and every time they encountered, she felt fluttery inside. On numerous occasions she was tongue-tied and found words hard to force out of her mouth. Even eating with him added to her butterflies.

Malvara daydreamed for another half an hour until the topic of conversation switched to who they _liked _or who they had a crush on. Her body slumped more in her seat. Not the best subject to bring up at the moment.

She continued to think of Meta Knight while the conversation kept going on and on. Several factors attracted her to him; his voice, his mysterious ways and his kindness, even his sweet scent always in a more concentrated form the closer she was to him. She thought him to be emotionless at first but now she knew how expressive he could be, particularly when they were alone. Around others, he barely laughed but whenever he accidently let it slip, he covered it up as a cough. When no one else was around, he allowed himself to open up; she secretly thought his laugh to be dazzling. In her eyes, Meta Knight was so handsome; amazing that words could not describe his admirable qualities.

"So Malvara, who do you like?" came Jigglypuff's voice.

Malvara, taken by surprise, said, "What are you talking about?"

"Who do you have a crush on?" She asked again, not annoyed that she hadn't been paying attention.

"No one," Malvara replied quickly, hoping the spotlight would be switched to someone else.

"Come on, I know denial from experience. You have a crush on someone! Who is he? What's he like?" Jigglypuff asked further, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Well, I'm not…dating but I do like someone. There, I admitted it. I'm not saying who." Malvara spoke firmly trying to shift the attention off her. She almost was on the verge of blushing.

"Tell me!"

"No, it's a secret."

"Tell me! Pretty please?"

"No."

"Pleeeeeeease?"

"Ugh, fine, but you can't tell anyone!" Malvara relented, giving in at last. "It's…Meta Knight."

The whole room filled with "awwwwwws," from the girls and Malvara blushed deeply.

"You can't tell him! Please don't! You have to promise!" She pleaded, cheeks retaining their scarlet tone.

"You should ask him out! Especially today! Tonight is the Christmas Party!" Jigglypuff literally bounced up and down from her seat.

Malvara's blush deepened at the thought of asking him out on a date. "I can't do something like that!"

"You cannot do what?"

The voice froze her in place seeing as it belonged to Meta Knight. His footsteps were approaching rather quickly towards the cafeteria.

"You should like, ask him out to the party! He's coming right now, here's your chance!" Jigglypuff whispered. Malvara nodded, regretting what she was about to do.

Malvara sent Jigglypuff a _Please don't tell him about any of this_ look and fortunately, she understood the message and kept quiet.

"Is anything wrong?" Meta Knight asked, now standing in the doorway. "I heard shouting so I wanted to make sure everything was all right."

"Um, thanks for your concern, but everything's fine. You see, the girls are excited about tonight…" Malvara hoped he wouldn't find out her intentions.

Jigglypuff sent Malvara a look as if to say _Ask him out! Now's your chance! _

Malvara took a deep breath. "Uh, Meta Knight, the Christmas Party's tonight and I was wondering…did you want to accompany me? I mean, you know, this is a special time of the year so we might as well have fun together…"

"_Great, I just sounded like a complete idiot just now. What are the odds he would say yes anyway?" _

"Of course I will 'accompany' you to the party. I am looking forward to it even more now." His eyes flashed blue, sending pleasant chills down Malvara's back.

"I'll see you then I suppose. The girls want me to go with them for dress shopping…"

"You should buy yourself something as well." Before she could open her mouth to say she didn't have that kind of money, he put coins into her hand. Her jaw dropped at the weight but Meta Knight chuckled at her shock. The other girls giggled as well.

As he left the room, Malvara was speechless. How she grown more attached to him everyday.

**

Malvara leaned against the wall of the dress store. She along with the other girls left the Smash Mansion for shopping after lunch. In her hand still held the coins Meta Knight gave her unexpectedly before their departure. As she felt the edges of the money, thoughts circulated in her mind like a repetitive pattern, almost as if to test her.

So far, nothing interesting caught her eye in the shop. She only came due to the girl's persuasion, except for Samus, and with so much enthusiasm, Malvara couldn't say no. She took a glance to see how the others were doing. Samus sat on a bench arms folded, Jigglypuff looked through the accessories while Zelda and Peach sifted through the variety of dresses. A few flowers caught Jigglypuff's interest and she soon asked Malvara for advice.

"You should choose that lily, it looks pretty," Malvara suggested. Jigglypuff nodded in thanks and tried it on in front of the mirror. Her face contained a delighted expression and again, she thanked Malvara for her opinion.

Peach squealed, finally deciding on a sunflower yellow dress with white laces. Next up were shoes and accessories. Zelda found herself content with a light blue spaghetti strap dress and as for shoes, high heels suited her fancy. Samus still refused to pick one out.

"Not into dresses?" Malvara asked her with understanding. Samus nodded. "Me neither. I know how you feel."

"Come on Samus, find a dress!" Peach called from across the aisle.

More time passed as the girls forced Samus into the aisle with Malvara watching sympathetically. A dress would restrict her movement being a small puffball, but Jigglypuff offered to make her one, more like a skirt instead. Malvara gave in as to not hurt Jigglypuff's feelings.

Jigglypuff found silky fabric on a shelf that would be perfect for making a dress. The fabric turned out to be a deep purple with black edges to it. Its beauty amazed her, but it was nothing compared to Meta Knight. She thanked her, turning away slightly to hide the tinge of blush finding its way to her cheeks.

Imagining Meta Knight seeing her in such a garment gave her the butterflies. She wondered what his attire would be like. Like her, he was a puffball. So many possibilities lingered in her mind while the others proceeded with their shopping.

Something caught her eye: something shining excessively in the sunlight. Meta Knight told Malvara to buy herself something nice and this seemed to fit perfectly. Her lips curved into a small smile as she held it in her hand.

**

Once the girls returned to the Smash Mansion, Peach offered dance lessons to anyone who wanted them. Malvara realized she needed to learn as there would be a dance at the Christmas Party. Making a fool of herself in front of Meta Knight and everyone else would be too humiliating. The place lost any serene silence it used to have on rare occasions thanks to many visitors/other Smashers dates occupying the spare bedrooms.

Malvara didn't feel as awkward seeing many other guests there. They wouldn't know her from anywhere so she didn't have to worry about standing out. Compared to others, she felt more normal than ever in her entire life.

"_At least they aren't monsters designed for bloodshed and pain." _

"Are you here too Malvara?" Peach asked, bringing her back to reality.

"...Uh y-yes. That's right." Even voicing words seemed like a trial for her. The dance causing this much worry was uncalled for. Then again, her dance partner was Meta Knight which brought back memories of dating and crushes. Her face warmed up from imagining what he would be like upon the dance floor. In brawls, his fighting styles were like some form of dance; one only he could perform. He seemed so perfect...

"All right then Malvara. Please wait over there with the others. The lessons will begin shortly."

Peeking around the corners of the main room eavesdropping were Meta Knight and Ike. Of course, Ike was being nosy as usual and wanted to see who participated for the lessons. Meta Knight was taken by surprise seeing Malvara there, but his gaze softened and he watched with silent amusement.

"Can you dance?" Ike casually asked him in a whisper so they wouldn't be heard by the others.

"Not very well," Meta Knight admitted. "I can only slow dance, but I hope that will be enough. I did consider learning how to dance, but seeing so many strangers in there, I changed my mind."

"No kidding, they're mainly _girls_! Normally I would have thought that to be amusing that you can't dance seeing as you are one of the best fighters here, but I'm in the same boat. Thanks to Link, he dared me to invite Lyn."

"That's very unfortunate," Meta Knight replied with understanding. "Knowing the Crazy Hand, the odds of slow dancing music are very small. We both will have a difficult time at the party."

Ike nodded as a couple girls fell down on the floor giggling. "I'm doomed. If only I took dance lessons when I had the chance."

"I did have the opportunity to learn, but each time I turned it down. When I didn't say no I always felt too uncomfortable to learn. I never knew I would need to know how." Meta Knight sighed. "I regret that decision now."

"I regret not learning in the first place. Maybe I'll make up an excuse not to show up tonight." Ike thought for a moment. "I could eat one of the weird hamburger and spinach cookies and say I got food poisoning."

"_Very funny,_" Meta Knight said sarcastically. "I was the one who made those cookies. Is my cooking that bad?"

"Well, I wouldn't say it's _bad_, but it has a very distinct taste to it." Ike spoke carefully, trying not to offend Meta Knight. Angering him was not what he intended to do. "What recipe did you use?"

Silence followed. "...What's a recipe?"

Ike facepalmed. "Nevermind."

Watching Malvara progressing immensely with her dancing skills amazed Meta Knight. He absorbed himself into gazing at her so much, he couldn't tell whether Ike was speaking to him or not. Every step created an illusion of a graceful glide whenever she moved. Meta Knight was captivated in the moment and he gasped when Ike nudged him on the shoulder.

"Hey, are you all right? You've been in a trance for a while now." Ike snapped his fingers, making sure Meta Knight paid attention.

Meta Knight sighed. He needed to distract himself somehow. He turned around and left for his room, surprising Ike, but he didn't care. Once in the bedroom, he decided to take a bath to give him time for privacy and to sort out his conflicting thoughts.

After removing his armour, he climbed in the round bathtub and heated up the water to the point when it slightly burned a little. He became desensitized a moment later and relaxed against the side. His eyes closed halfway, his shoulders dropping to a contented posture. The dancing lessons would continue for another hour so he wrapped himself in a towel and went to the bedroom. With Malvara occupied, she shouldn't have the time to come upstairs.

A drawing left on Malvara's end table interested him. He let the towel drop while his hand held the sketch. Carefully, he eyes studied the details for a minute. Then he realized this was a replicate drawing of him.

Meta Knight placed the drawing where it previously had been and went to put his armour back on. Once he caught glimpse of his reflection in the mirror, he saw that his cheeks were a deeper shade of red. Aggravated, he quickly put the mask on to hide his considerably warmer face.

**

"Snake, I'm counting on you. I trust you enough to do this. If I hear any complaints from the Smashers tomorrow, you'll be sent straight to my office."

Snake pulled on the way-too-big Santa Claus suit over his outfit. "Fine. I assure no one will have complaints tomorrow. By the way, what do I get in return for doing this? The suit is not the most comfortable garment to wear, mind you."

"You can eat and drink all the milk and cookies you want that others left under the Christmas Tree. The last time I checked, there were quite a few put on the plate. However, you need to be stealthy. The children would cause too much of a commotion to see you if you should ever accidently wake them up. I figured you would be the best choice."

"It's a deal. I'll keep my word of the bargain." Carrying the heavy bag of presents over his shoulder, he climbed the ladder to reach the rooftop. From hearing (a million times) children's Christmas tales, he knew Santa came down the chimney. He took one step on the frosty rooftop only to make a small crunching sound. Carefully he proceeded to walk towards the chimney, this time more smoothly than his previous attempts.

Snake used his hands to gently lower himself down the chimney. The bag slung over his shoulder weighed him down erratically. He slid down quicker than expected, the bag scraping around the sides not-so-quietly. Snake feared joining the bag in its impeding demise.

"For the love of peace! How high up does this stupid chimney go?" Snake muttered with some curse words that thankfully, could not be made out. The ground came into his view, though it glowed orange with flames not yet burnt out from earlier.

Snake reached into his belt under his Santa suit desperate for his gun. Taking it in hand, he shot the fire only igniting it further. "Oh crap!" he whispered, holding both sides of the narrow space to halt his speed falling downwards. "That's it. I'm climbing up this thing and using the front door." His grip weakened and he landed on the fire which started to spread to his Santa suit. Snake immediately spotted a glass of milk and poured that to put the flames out.

He sighed from relief when it worked. Through the corner of his eye, he glanced around him making sure he hadn't woken anyone else up, particularly the children. Snake placed the bag to the ground knocking over another glass of milk staining the carpet. He bit his tongue, refraining from uttering another swear word.

He placed each present carefully under the tree, adding one for Sonic: a grenade with a note reading _Pull this pin_. With a chuckle, he proceeded with his work. One by one, he put a cookie in his mouth until he ate one that Meta Knight made. His expression was one of disgust eating meat with lettuce and spinach mixed with odd spices.

He tossed it over his shoulder, gagging. It knocked the lamp over causing him to jump. His boot stepped onto a rubber ducky which squeaked in a high pitch. After kicking it with his boot, it landed in the fire. Eyes widened as the fire soon began to spread to the carpet. He grabbed a bucket of water conveniently placed by the fireplace and extinguished the flames.

"Crap. I'm starting to sympathize for Santa Claus now." He picked up the remaining cookies and threw them into the garbage can in the cafeteria. He poured the milk down the sink. As for the bag, he thought for a moment before throwing it in the fire. Like the ducky, it ignited instantly and Snake ran for another pail of water to put out the fire.

He heard small footsteps in his direction. _"Crap, someone woke up. One of the children most likely." _He needed to do something with the suit and fast. The fire would be too dangerous. Besides, the Master Hand expected it back in the same condition it was before it had been lent it to him.

Lucas came in the room, rubbing his eyes. He could have sworn he heard Santa Claus. No one was there. Disappointed, he left to go back to bed.

Snake shifted uncomfortably in the chimney, almost getting himself stuck. After five arduous minutes, he made it to the top. Never did he want to be Santa again.

--

After a whole day of suspense and opening presents, the Christmas Party finally approached everyone; both Smashers and guests. Two more hours would be spent in the change rooms dressing up for the dance. The girls' room in particular filled with chatter making it impossible to think clearly. Amy forced Sonic to invite her so he sulked the whole day, not his usual self. Despite Amy trying to cheer him up, none of her attempts worked.

Malvara looked at her reflection awkwardly in the mirror. The form-fitting skirt like dress shone beautifully in the flashing lights. Jigglypuff helped braid her hair instead of keeping it up in its usual ponytail. Of course, she protested against it but gave in. The flower accessory she bought matched her deep purple outfit perfectly. Movement felt odd at first but she spent the next few minutes trying to accustom to her attire.

"I look ridiculous," she whispered to Jigglypuff.

"No you don't," Jigglypuff objected. "You look lovely. I'm sure Meta Knight will like it too. So, does he seem excited about the date?"

Malvara stared blankly in her direction. "W-What?"

"Come on, you know I understand what's going on. The invite was a secret way of asking him out for date because you _like_ him, don't you?" Jigglypuff triggered one of Malvara's blushes.

"N-Not exactly. It was only a friendly gesture."

"Deni-al!" Jigglypuff sang out. "You _like _him that way don't you?"

Malvara sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay, I admit, I do _like_ him." Her tone softened to a dazed whisper. "After all...he's so handsome, brave, mysterious..."

"Someone's gotta crush!" Jigglypuff said playfully, giggling. Malvara nodded.

"Hard to believe, huh?" Malvara said, trying to sound enthusiastic to cover up her overwhelming chagrin. Her rosier face deceived her words, but Jigglypuff didn't notice, being so bouncy with excitement. She looked pretty herself with the new lily accessorized with a skirt like gown similar to Malvara's.

"So, you up for the dance?" Jigglypuff spoke again with interest. "I heard you took the lessons yesterday. Did they help you?"

"Oh yes, they did. If it wasn't for that, I'd be shaking right now. Knowing the basics may pull me through this...I think." Malvara laughed nervously finishing her sentence.

"Ahem, the dance room is now ready. You will all enter according to the order in which you are called. First, all the male Smashers will enter on the left side of the room. Following them will be the girls who will join their respective dates." Malvara shuddered at how loosely the Master Hand used the term. "The Crazy Hand has been chosen to select the music used for the dance. Refreshments will be by the doors so anyone feeling hungry or tired may rest there. I hope to see you there in a respectful fashion."

"_All right, here goes nothing."_ Malvara eyed the others and followed them so she wouldn't get lost through all the chaos. The silence in the room took her breath away. She tried to find where Meta Knight stood in among the other side of the room. Her eyes widened seeing him dressed up for the occasion. His cape changed to a forest green with red outlines along the edges. The same description matched his gloves too. Did his mask seem shinier than usual?

"Good evening Malvara," Meta Knight said, walking to her side. She looked down, flattered by how formal he was.

"Good evening," she replied. Hearing a familiar chuckle, her heart raced; especially when he extended an arm out to her. She awkwardly linked her arm with his and they approached the dance floor.

"Shall we?" Meta Knight said so softly, his lips barely moved. She nodded, placing her hands on his shoulders. It felt weird being this physically close to him. With his appropriate attire, she became dazzled just by looking into his eyes. She swore her heart did a flip when Meta Knight placed his hands on her sides.

The disco lights shone into multiple colours. By now many couples began dancing. Fortunately the Crazy Hand played slow dancing music first so Meta Knight wouldn't have to tell Malvara he couldn't dance well. They took small steps back and forth, enjoying the time together and their closeness. She leaned closer to him so their faces were only a couple inches apart.

His scent calmed her; she could not get enough of the sweet aura surrounding him. Quietly, she inhaled the mouth watering scent. When she snuck a quick glance at Meta Knight, he didn't seem to notice.

"Did you get yourself a new outfit?" She asked him.

He laughed softly. "No." Taking her by surprise, he added, "You look very beautiful Malvara."

"Um, thanks. Jigglypuff made that for me." Malvara desperately hoped she wasn't blushing already. "You look very handsome. I like your attire."

"Thank you," he replied, eyes shining blue. He carefully guided her as they stepped sideways again. Deep down, his nerves were shaking. He kept his hands still and his posture, showing no signs of fear. Slow dancing passed and he adjusted to it. The routine became an instinct. As the last cord rang out, Malvara thought she felt both arms wrap around her for a brief second.

A few other Smashers stared in their direction, but Malvara was too caught up in the moment to notice. Another song gradually played and Meta Knight's hands returned to her side. The Crazy Hand selected a more fast dancing song. The couples around moved in movements foreign to Meta Knight so he could only rely on watching them. Malvara noticed how his eyes seemed to watch others more than the last dance.

"_I'm probably just imagining things. After all, I'm here to have fun and enjoy myself right?" _Yet in the back of her mind, she still remained suspicious but had no idea why.

It took Meta Knight a lot of effort to maintain his balance. The songs went by quickly, almost in a blur. As each one passed, the different dancing styles changed. He completely relied on taking a quick glance over Malvara's shoulder to see what everyone else was doing. He made a mistake once in a while, but Malvara seemed not to notice.

The Crazy Hand next chose a song with no rhythm whatsoever and the moves were too fast for Meta Knight to comprehend. His moves showed errors, this time, very distinct. Malvara looked at him questionably. He maintained his usual glance that dazzled her.

"What _is _he doing?" Ike said from the side. "Meta Knight's not doing that dance correctly." Marth normally wouldn't think anything of it, but it happened to catch his attention too. At the buffet table, Dedede laughed at his servant's attempt to dance.

The dance only got worse for Meta Knight as each step led him closer to losing his balance. As they turned around, his reactions were not quick enough and he fell to the ground, Malvara landing on top of his mask. To make matters worse than they were, the music stopped due to the Master Hand seeing them fall. Meta Knight definitely became the center of attention now.

"Are you two all right?" the Master Hand asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," Meta Knight said hastily, helping Malvara up from the ground.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Too embarrassed, he left the room so fast, his figure could hardly be made out. The music played again by the time Meta Knight made it to the hallway. He snuck into the bathroom and unhooked the mask, letting it drop. He turned the tap water on and splashed his hot face with the cold moisture. Breathing in deeply, he dried his face letting his heart rate slow down. He attached the mask back on his face before opening the door.

Malvara stood outside the bathroom, startling him. He tightly wrapped his cape around his body, unsure of what to say. A strange tingling sensation spread through his body when he felt Malvara place a hand on his shoulder. He enjoyed the feeling, yet it felt so familiar to him.

"You never learned how to dance," she whispered with understanding. "For your first time you did well. You learned a lot by watching how the others did it."

This was the first time Meta Knight heard her not asking a question when she suspected an answer. Maybe she understood him more than he thought. "You learned from the lessons yesterday. Might I say you were very graceful."

"You knew I took lessons? You eavesdropped?"

"I wouldn't say 'eavesdropped.' More out of curiosity. You disappeared all morning."

Malvara smiled. "...True. If _you_ vanished all the sudden, I'd consider that normal."

"Do I really disappear that much?" Amusement coloured his tone, erasing the chagrin that had once been in its place. He turned around, holding her hand. "The dance is ending. Shall we share one more before supper?"

"Yes. Slow dancing if course!" She gave his hand a gentle squeeze before returning to the dance room.

--

Each couple lined up in the cafeteria for a meal. Meta Knight and Malvara were the first to order theirs which ended up being spaghetti. Not the life threatening kind Mario ate; the spaghetti on their plates was edible. Melted cheese of all sorts covered the soft pasta. The meal immediately appealed to their stomach.

Carefully, Malvara used the fork to scoop up a mouthful and put it in her mouth. Swallowing the bite, she decided spaghetti tasted good after all when it wasn't Mario who cooked it. She savoured the taste of the cheddar and marble mixed cheese and the parsley. She snuck a glance upwards to see how Meta Knight would eat it.

As usual, he lifted his mask and put the noodles under. What she did not know was that it also got on his face as well. Meta Knight ate another mouthful, feeling uncomfortable. Of all the meals they had to order, spaghetti had to be selected; one of the only meals that always got on his face, like the tomato sauce. A tinge of annoyance settled in seeing Malvara easily use a napkin to clean her face. He wished he could use one, but his mask was in the way.

"How does it taste?" Malvara questioned him once they both finished about half of the food on their plate.

"Very flavourful," he replied, smiling. "I never tasted a meal this good in my life."

"Oh, well..." Malvara blushed from the praise. "I cooked that. That's why we got our meal so easy. I arranged it in the cafeteria this morning."

"Thank you. I never experienced a date before." Malvara froze up when he spoke. Seeing her shocked face, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"H-How did you know t-this w-was...a date? Don't tell me you eavesdropped again!"

Meta Knight smiled. "I did not eavesdrop the last time. That was merely curiosity and concern. And to answer your question, I did hear part of it, not intentionally mind you. When you asked me out to the party, I couldn't help but notice that you seemed to be blushing. I knew by your expression."

Malvara's face went slightly rosier than usual. "Oh," she managed to say before taking another mouthful out of her spaghetti. "I suppose I can't keep anything from you am I right?"

"Perhaps that is so." With a chuckle, Meta Knight ate another mouthful. His eyes met hers in a dazed stare for a moment. When he lifted his mask to put the mouthful underneath, it missed his mouth and onto his cheek instead. His face flushed, considerably hotter from embarrassment, and luckily, his mask hid his expression.

He and Malvara finished up their meal and left the cafeteria. The day had been exhausting and they needed rest from the excitement. Both headed to their bedroom ready to get some well deserved sleep. The walk pleasantly offered a comfortable silence between Meta Knight and Malvara. As they walked through the last doorway after leaving the elevator, something caught Malvara's attention and she stopped in place staring upwards.

"What's wrong?" Meta Knight asked her, concern shown in his tone. Malvara pointed above them with an unreadable expression on her face. When Meta Knight looked up too, he gasped and thought his breath would stop. Above them was a small twig of mistletoe tied in a neat red ribbon. He finally released a long held breath and slowed his pace down as best as he could. "W-What does this mean?" For the first time, Malvara heard Meta Knight stutter.

"When two stand under mistletoe, it is tradition they have to kiss," Malvara responded, blushing deeply.

Meta Knight's face turned bright red as well. Malvara never saw his face before and that added to the tension he currently was experiencing. Remembering when he saw his reflection in the fountain waters didn't help much either. "I-Is this really necessary?"

Malvara nodded. "A tradition is a tradition." She leaned closer to him. "Meta Knight...your mask..."

His breath stopped again for a moment before his heartbeat increased erratically. "What about it?" The words came out weaker than he expected. Then it hit him. He would have to remove it. _"This is...embarrassing." _Yet something in his mind warned him; like he was about to do the wrong thing. He pushed the thought aside.

Meta Knight glanced to see to ensure no one would be approaching anytime soon. His hand reached for the mask, shaking despite his attempts to stay calm. The metal fell to the ground resulting in a small thud. He kept his gaze downwards avoiding eye contact.

Malvara was speechless. He was so...adorable behind the mask. A smile spread across her face. She leaned closer until their faces were only an inch apart. Her lips moved closer to his, as if to wait for him to make the first move. Meta Knight hesitated, but in the next second, his lips pressed gently against hers.

Malvara's face instantly warmed up to a deep shade of scarlet. His lips were so soft and the texture seemed enhanced when they began to caress affectionately against hers. She placed her hands on his shoulder plates and leaned in for another kiss. Meta Knight seemed to understand and the kiss became more powerful, with more demand.

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard Meta Knight hum, lips still stroking each others. _"He must really like this." _The humming created a small vibration relaxing both of them.

Then a wave of agonizing pain swept over Meta Knight, causing him to pull away more quickly than he would have preferred. Memories, painful ones, flooded his mind. He never reflected on these in more years than he can remember. To Malvara's shock, his white eyes changed to a shade of burgundy. Hastily he scooped up the mask and attached it to his face, almost hurting himself again, but this time he couldn't feel anything.

"Meta Knight, what's the matter?"

"Please...leave me alone..." His tone seemed threatening, silencing her. Meta Knight left the hallway by using his dimensional cape to disappear. Reappearing outside by the fountain, angry tears filled his eyes. How could he have been so blind to kiss her like that? He felt ashamed, knowing that he caused so much pain and regret.

He was reminded of something he didn't want to remember and knowing his actions betrayed his promise, more tears surfaced. Meta Knight let the tears stream down his face knowing he wouldn't be able to hold them back.

He slammed his fist into the wall, denting it and causing his hand to bleed slightly but he didn't feel the pain. The bricks crumbled to the ground into tiny particles of dust. Meta Knight pulled his fist back, slightly stained with his blood and exhaled a shaky breath. He stopped the flow of blood with his other hand and through all that pain, he never felt any of it.

"_I'm sorry. I promised and I broke it without a second thought. I shall never forgive myself...ever."_


	8. Beneath the Facade

Part 2

Conquering the Darkness Within

Beneath the Facade: Chapter 8

***

_It has been nine months since I came to Super Smash Brothers Brawl as an official Smasher. I came here expecting a life of fighting and reflecting. Kirby told me about his experiences; I was the only one to understand what he was saying. Even with his enthusiasm, I held no excitement towards the upcoming tournament. Traveling to another dimension with strangers I didn't know did not please me in the slightest. Kirby persisted the subject until I gave in to his pleas. _

_The tournament began as I anticipated. Fourteen other newcomers were introduced to the others and I stayed as far away as possible. Then a sudden crash shocked everyone and the Master Hand told us to go inside. When he brought in a mysterious creature, my curiosity got the best of me so I sat closest to her to see what she was. I brought her supper, but we didn't speak to each other. Her name was Malvara, which was certain at the time. _

_Three weeks after on April Fool's, I remembered Wolf accusing Malvara of a prank she had no responsibility for. The thought of her in danger angered me. I felt very protective of her ever since. She asked me out for a picnic to my surprise. No one ever wanted my company before and the fact that she enjoyed it made me happy. _

_During the summer, the Master Hand arranged a vacation in Nintendoville. It was the first time I got involved in a group activity. I thought that would be an enjoyable experience but instead I was ashamed of acting spontaneously. I was forced to come along for the movie, Twilight, as I recall. Mostly because Malvara kept waking me up. A strange arrival came when we returned to the Smash Mansion, who he informed us his name was Isaken._

_In the middle of August, I had a terrible nightmare. I admit, I was frightened when I woke up. To make the day worse with sleep deprivation, Dedede insulted me in front of the others adding to my anger. To my relief, Waddle Doo and Malvara helped me plan revenge. It turned out Dedede only used a script and plagiarism from Waddle Doo to learn the comebacks. The ordeal passed rather quickly. That night, the same dream continued. _

_In October, Malvara discovered my soft spot for candy before Halloween. She even planned a trap in the bedroom to ensure her suspicions were correct. Halloween was entertaining but Kirby embarrassed me after I scared the children. In the end, the Haunted House was destroyed by Microphone Kirby…the horrible memories come back. _

_Thanksgiving was memorable…Malvara showed she cared for me and I promised not to freeze to death like that again. Not in the mood to eat, I left and stayed at the garden. I scorned my reflection there, feeling safe enough to remove the mask. She took me by surprise and before she saw my face, I put the mask back on. Malvara worried about my eating habits and for her to be so concerned about me is touching. Isaken came and I protected Malvara, fearing he would hurt her. He came to inform me Malvara was a creation destined to be a bloodthirsty monster. That didn't make me think any less of her. I hugged her for the first time. _

_Christmas was a depressing and happy time of my life. Malvara asked me out to the party as a date and to be so close to her relaxed me despite that I didn't know how to dance. To my surprise, on a couple occasions, I felt myself blush behind my mask. Such an emotion never had been a part of me. The best yet dejecting feeling happened at the same time when Malvara and I were heading upstairs to sleep. Above us both was mistletoe and according to tradition, we had to kiss. The wonderful sensation when our lips connected made me happy until I was reminded of someone dear to me I lost. Anger and sorrow guided my actions. I must avoid Malvara from now on._

_I've caused enough harm to her and I do not wish to commit the same mistake again. _

_**_

The sun rose as a sign a new day arrived, but Malvara never slept. Memories of Christmas night haunted her, forbidding her to rest. Her mind remained drowsy as she made her way downstairs, frequently rubbing her eyes. Meta Knight could not be seen anywhere. In fact, he disappeared since he kissed her under the mistletoe.

"_What is wrong with him? Why did he behave in such a way?" _Malvara carefully took a small sip from her juice. She ate breakfast with the girls, who constantly chattered about the party. Malvara blanked out most of what they said, not caring about that subject. She needed to find out why Meta Knight was acting strange.

**

Meta Knight left the elevator and stepped out into the porch which brightened with the sunlight. He tightly wrapped his cape around himself as if to restrain emotion, eyes glowing the same shade of burgundy looking down at the ground. A few other Smashers looked his way, concerned about him. He averted his gaze, glaring menacingly.

Peach and Dedede were the next ones to enter the room. From the tones of their voices, they were arguing about something, most likely about the Christmas Party. Peach held Kirby in her arms who clearly detested the tense atmosphere around him. Seeing his mentor put a smile on his face. His squirmed out of Peach's arms who tried to keep him still, but to no avail.

"Poyo, Meda Nigh!" He said, bouncing up and down.

Meta Knight didn't move at all from his position, not looking up. In a voice that made everyone afraid, he hissed, "Be gone with you." He continued his sombre march, eyes glowing the same dangerous burgundy.

Dedede stared at the door after it slammed shut. "That was spooky."

Malvara opened to door looking both ways. "Have any of you seen Meta Knight?"

"Oh yeah! He came in here, gave us all the heebie-jeebies, then went that way," Dedede replied, pointing to the other door. Malvara nodded in thanks as she followed.

Lucas walked down the hallway to meet Ness at the cafeteria for some biking to Nintendoville. A cool breeze chilled his arm as Meta Knight quickly walked past. "Hey Batman, what's wrong?" He ran to compensate for the speed of Meta Knight's pace.

"Leave me alone," Meta Knight said in a low tone to compress his emotions.

"You seem really off today. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm just fine, _thank you. _Now leave me in peace," Meta Knight warned, eyes flickering to a bright red.

"No you're not! Something's bothering you."

That was the last straw. Meta Knight took out his sword, his wings coming out. He flew as fast as he could after the scared boy who ran fast as well. Apparently scared children could run at a very high speed too. Lucas screamed the whole way.

Sonic happened to pass by when Meta Knight came charging at him full speed. He yelped, ducking as the angry puffball flew over him. He sighed in relief seeing him go. Lucas left footprints on the walls and ceiling when trying to run away. Sonic fainted on the spot. Lucas hid under the same lampshade like the first day of the tournament, calming down a little when Meta Knight lost him.

Meta Knight wrapped his cape around his body again in the same manner as before and proceeded down the hallway. Malvara entered and saw him. Her presence immediately sent his senses in a frenzy. "Could you please leave me alone? Can you not see I've caused enough harm? Do you really wish for me to cause more?"

"What are talking about? And why do you keep avoiding me?" Malvara interrogated, confused.

Meta Knight turned around, but still looking downwards. He swung his cape so it completely covered him, then proceeded to disappear. The next words echoed off the walls. "Do not follow me in case I make another mistake."

Malvara came back to the porch, staying silent about what just happened. She spent the next ten minutes calming Lucas down who didn't take Meta Knight's advice to leave him alone.

"Don't worry Lucas," Ness told him when he noticed that he never showed up at the cafeteria. "He's harmless...I think."

For the rest of the day, Meta Knight's strange behavior was noticeable to everyone, even the guests who didn't know him much. He didn't come down to the cafeteria like he used to for the past month, concerning Malvara greatly. However, relief settled in too. She didn't really want to be around him at the moment. She began to worry about curfew.

Malvara turned in for the night earlier than usual. She tossed and turned for an hour until the clock struck midnight. At the same time, the door opened. Like a silent storm, he entered the room in the same position he'd been in the whole day. Fear struck Malvara's heart immediately with every clink of Meta Knight's armour. Every movement was like a blow to her heart.

Meta Knight pulled the curtains off the windows, exposing the moonlight. He threw the curtains aside and turned off the lamp on his end table. He carefully climbed into his bed and lay down, barely moving except for his arm…which turned on the radio, lessening the tense mood.

Malvara tightened her fist on her blanket, finding the courage inside herself to speak to him. "What's with you today Meta Knight?" She heard a deep sigh of annoyance, then a click. The room became silent again as the radio stopped playing really cheesy music, "The Waffle Song." His light turned on, his eyes more reddish as he turned to look at her.

"Why do you continue to pester me on the subject?"

"Because I care about you Meta Knight! Everyone's noticed your behavior today, not just me."

Meta Knight chuckled, not from amusement, but like he scorned a poorly told joke. "Care? Why does anyone care? Caring causes us pain and agony."

"Caring also gets rid of some pain and agony!" Malvara protested, glaring in his direction.

"It gives us more pain then it takes away," Meta Knight shot back with equal protest. "It is a weakness, a hindrance; one that I shall not allow myself to have."

"It is neither a weakness nor a hindrance. It is a gift, an advantage." Her tone showed more desperation than defiance as she spoke.

"It is a weakness," Meta Knight said. "One that I shall not allow myself to have _again._"

Malvara's expression held wonder, surprise, shock. "Again? You mean...that you've..."

Meta Knight sighed. "Yes again. You believed I had not cared for someone else in my life?" He sounded almost accusing.

"You mean you cared about someone else again?" Malvara thought her choice of words came out as confusing but Meta Knight seemed to understand her point.

"Yes. Perhaps you would like to know who."

"Who was it?"

A long silence followed as Meta Knight debated whether to tell her how he felt. "You," he said, almost inaudibly. His eyes completely changed to purple with no trace of red.

"You care about me?" Malvara still tried recover from her shock.

"Yes," he answered again, awkwardly. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed, avoiding eye contact.

Malvara pondered the response for a moment. "I care about you too...a lot actually."

Meta Knight turned away. "Just as I feared."

"What did I say? Did I do something wrong?" Malvara asked immediately.

"I can't guarantee your safety when you are around me. I am dangerous whether you know it or not. I may end up endangering your life."

"How are you dangerous?"

Meta Knight remained silent for a moment. He sighed, this time it was shaky, as he gazed into the full moon. "Malvara, the truth may be more than you can handle. Once you know, you may regret it. Are you sure you want me to tell you why I'm dangerous?"

Malvara nodded, expression serious. "I'm sure."

Meta Knight's eyes turned grey. "All right then. Long ago, an evil company known as NightMare Enterprises existed. They created several demon beasts and sent them throughout the galaxies. Some were disloyal however, but still held demonic traits within themselves. Nightmare...created me using the last of his blood to make me the strongest demon beast; my destiny was to kill."

"So...you're a demon beast? H-How is that possible? You cannot be a monster! I refuse to believe it..."

Meta Knight's expression became grim. "Didn't I warn you Malvara? You may have been better off not knowing."

"I know, but...if you really are a demon beast, didn't you rebel against Nightmare as a Star Warrior? Would it matter if you were created as a demon if you disloyal?"

Meta Knight sighed again sadly. "I may have been disloyal, but that does not mean I am not entirely a monster. On many occasions, I still feel the urge for bloodshed, not just to spill, but to taste." He shuddered at the thought. "As much as I regret to tell you this, I fear I will develop the urge to taste your blood and hurt you. For that reason, it may be for your own good if you avoided me from now on."

As much as Malvara wanted to refrain from standing in his presence, she desired to stay by his side. "But we could still be together. There has to be some way for this to work out."

"Not everything ends happily. You may need to accept that this is how this has to end."

"Please Meta Knight, don't say things like that! You've never had a problem with this until now!" Malvara objected, voice literally shaking, fearing her body was too.

"You thought I never had a problem? You do not understand how difficult it is to fight the urge to taste blood especially in the stadium. Eventually I won't be able to fight it and end up killing you in the process. Is that really what you want?" His tone was harsher, almost like an emotional stab penetrating the heart.

Malvara turned away, hands covering her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her breath came in gasps as she desperately tried to calm herself down.

Meta Knight's eyes widened, guilt and remorse settling in his conscious. "A-Are you crying?"

"N-No!" The response came out weak as more tears betrayed her and surfaced.

"Malvara, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for you to be upset by the truth. I did not want to tell you, but it would cause more pain if I didn't." Meta Knight said, sadness and hurt audible in his tone.

"No, don't worry. I understand we can't be together then."

Meta Knight thought for a moment. She cared deeply for him...yet though he felt guilty inside, it might be for the best to move on. Despite how horrible it felt, he shared the same emotions as she did. Maybe it was best if he showed he cared for someone again. His eyes closed halfway contemplating for a moment. "Malvara...I suppose we could give this a chance, if you wanted to..."

"R-Really?" The tears stopped flowing. Malvara's spirits rose from the response.

"Yes...but at the slightest hint it will not work out, we must stop. As I said before, I do not want to hurt you. Do not say I didn't warn you though."

"Fine."

"…Malvara?"

Malvara abruptly sat up. "Yes?"

"All these months you have known me and I never told you much about myself. I have some explaining to do." Meta Knight motioned for her to join him at his side on the bed. She obeyed without hesitance. "I am sure you recall that I knew the difference between blood and red paint. To answer your question, I was in a war."

Malvara gasped. "I-I didn't know that…"

"Therefore, when I was fighting against Nightmare's forces with the other Star Warriors, I witnessed a lot of blood amidst the battles. Trying to hold back the urges not to drink it right there was nearly unbearable. Many years passed, at least over a thousand and everyone I knew died. My best friend turned into a demon and I was forced to kill him with no other alternative." Meta Knight paused, and Malvara knew this was hard on him to talk about these experiences.

"I-I'm sorry that had to happen. You suffered so much, even now." She felt a hand on her shoulder. Her heart rate stuttered and she was certain Meta Knight could feel it.

"That is not for you to worry about Malvara." Meta Knight sighed. "'It is a weakness. One that I shall not allow myself to have again.' Do you know what I meant when I said that?"

"No, not really."

"Before everyone I knew died, I fell in love. I loved her so much, but at the time, we didn't have time to share moments together. One day we arranged a date, but we were called for a mission. On that mission, she died before we got the chance to say we loved each other." His voice trailed off. "T-that w-was why the pain was so great after the mistletoe last night. None of that was your fault. You didn't know at the time and I never gave that a conscience thought until after it happened."

A tear rolled down Malvara's cheek. "I-I'm so sorry." Her heart skipped a beat feeling Meta Knight's gloved hand wipe the tears away.

"Don't be. I never had been so open with someone before. I never realized until now that it feels so good to tell someone how you feel." Meta Knight looked in her eyes. "I trust you and I'm not ashamed of it." He lay down as Malvara snuggled to his side.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Malvara asked.

"No."

They drifted to sleep in each other's company, Meta Knight holding Malvara securely in his grasp. This time she knew he felt her heartbeat increase when he chuckled softly.

**

_I slowly opened my eyes only to see nothing but darkness surround me in somewhere in which I am unfamiliar. My eyes fully opened and I now realized I was alone suspended in black nothingness. When I didn't know where I was, panic immediately struck my heart causing it to skip a beat every couple seconds. I didn't understand any of this and because of that, I am afraid. My fists tightened at the thought of feeling scared of something so pointless. This is merely a hallucination attempting to torment me out of my mind._

"_Meta Knight, are you okay?" came a distant, soft and reassuring voice. I began to relax in posture but in my voice, the same thing could not be said. _

"_Who are you? Where are you? Show yourself!" I demanded._

"_It is me, my dear Meta Knight," came the voice again. A figure became visible to my eyes on all this darkness. I sighed in relief seeing a familiar purple puffball, Malvara, the one I loved. She seemed to look strange, her ponytail replaced with a longer braid. "Have you only forgotten me after a short period of time?"_

"_No," I quickly replied. "How could I forget the one I hold so dear to my heart? Malvara, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. If it wasn't for this darkness…"_

'_What darkness sweetheart? There is no darkness. We are home, my love." Malvara spoke lightly with an odd calmness in her tone._

_I suddenly found myself in a field under the night sky lying on the ground. I had no idea where this place came from or if I truly imagined being in nothingness. I felt a breeze on my face which surprised me. How could I feel the wind with my mask on? I gasped when the realization dawned upon me. My hand felt my cheek only to confirm the absence of metal. My mask was gone and I felt panic strike me again. On top of that, I felt utterly embarrassed. As I sat here suffering humiliation, she gazed at me with a strange smile on her lips. I looked down at my hands only to discover to my horror that my gloves disappeared as well. Hoping this was a dream, I glanced worriedly at my shoulders to see that there was no armour on them either. My blushing cheeks deepened to a shade of scarlet. Malvara was seeing me without the armour._

"_Dearest Meta Knight, is something the matter?" Malvara questioned me with slight amusement in her tone. "You seem very distressed. That is so unlike you."_

"_Um…well… I stammered, fiddling with my hands as my blush deepened. "My armour…I don't…"_

"_Need it? That would be correct love. Why would you of all people need armour at all? Are you not proud of whom you are? Or do you take pride in a disguise? Think about it Meta Knight. I'd expect you to know the answer to that."_

"_I do not know Malvara. I cannot answer that question, I am afraid." I faltered at the end of the sentence, too confused to continue speaking._

"_And why not?" Malvara suddenly sounded accusing, instead of gentle. "You always have an answer to everything so why not now?" _

"_Love, you don't understand…" I began, trying to reason with this new Malvara. Something was definitely wrong. None of this seemed real. "I am not perfect. No one will ever be. I do not have an answer to everything. Whatever gave you that idea?"_

_Malvara placed both hands on my face, stroking my blushing cheeks which still remained scarlet. "You are perfect dear. That is why I love you. Perhaps you should stop being so modest and realize your natural talents. Maybe then you'll accept the wonderful truth. You are perfect."_

"_I thought you loved me for who I was. You must understand that I possess weaknesses like everybody else does. Malvara, I do not know why you've changed so but I thought you accepted me. What has happened to you?" My throat tightened, preventing me from saying more._

_Her eyes flashed dangerously, at least the one I was able to see. I could feel her grip tightening on my cheeks. "Weaknesses…such a lie. I could never love anyone with vulnerabilities like that. Can't you see you have none? If you did I could never love you."_

"_I…thought you cared…" I faltered once again. Nothing came to mind to describe how I felt. My fear got the best of me again._

"_Care? Why do people care?" She hissed, the visible eye darkening to crimson. Her hands dug into my cheeks. It took a lot of determination not to scream in pain. 'Caring causes us pain and agony."_

_She released my cheeks from her threatening grip. They felt so sore after being squeezed for so long. One of my hands rubbed a cheek to ease the pain. I gasped when I saw my hand return to my side covered in blood. Did…Malvara do that to me?_

_Malvara laughed softly, still smiling. Her skin darkened to a deeper purple. What was happening to her? "What's the matter Meta Knight? Is something bothering you?" _

"_Y-You've…" My mind desperately tried to find the words to finish the sentence. "Y-You've become a monster. All this time, you have not been yourself. You must fight this Malvara or else you will be done for!"_

_Malvara remained silent as another breeze swept across the field vanishing, leaving us both in darkness again. Suddenly an enraged glare spread across her face, erasing the smile. "You speak lies traitor. How dare you betray your creator, become involved with emotions so vile, then believe the opposing side. Worst of all, you side with them! You are truly a wretched failure Meta Knight. Such actions deserve to be punished." Her face was only an inch away from mine. I could see two fangs at her mouth. "Are you ready?"_

_Everything became a blur as she prepared to strike._

"_Remember Meta Knight, think twice before you trust someone."_

_**_

Meta Knight awoke in a cold sweat, hands squeezing the covers. Malvara looked at him, concerned.

"Are you all right?" She asked.

Meta Knight nodded. "It was only a bad dream." He sat up and made his way to the bathroom. He removed the mask and splashed cold water on his face. He inhaled deeply, trying to relax. But to no avail, he endured another sleepless night.

--

Light, small, fluffy snowflakes fell from the cloudy, yet starry sky as the last firework exploded. The sky lit up with several colours becoming particles too small to be seen by the eye. The Smashers cheered upon the clock striking midnight, the start of a New Year. Many couples hugged each other before heading downstairs to bed. To Malvara's surprise, Meta Knight held her hand. It was the first time he touched her in a loving way since Christmas and it warmed her heart immensely. Perhaps he did love her; he did say he cared about her a few days ago.

Malvara knew Meta Knight still kept a lot of secrets from her because of that façade disguising him, the one she loved. She still felt skeptical whether he felt the same way or not. Sure he did kiss her but that was only because of the mistletoe. Yet the way he kissed her held passion, but hesitance. His mysterious ways intrigued her and with that, curiosity. Malvara couldn't deny she was attracted to him by his personality. She witnessed on many occasions he had feelings because of his eyes changing colour and moments they shared together. Malvara wanted to know the truth for herself whether Meta Knight loved her or not, ready to risk rejection.

"Meta Knight, did you want to go for a walk?" She asked, trying to keep her tone normal.

"Sure why not? It would be nice to spend more time with you." He joined her side, literally a couple inches apart. Her heart skipped a beat when a breeze swept across them, causing Meta Knight's cape to lightly touch her arm. She wondered why he didn't have it wrapped around himself when it was so cold outside.

Malvara discovered it was wrapped around her instead. She sighed with content, happy the cape was so warm. "I'm ready when you are."

"All right then."

As they walked around the Smash Mansion, a conversation seemed to flow.

"Did you like the New Years Party?" Malvara asked, now snuggling against the side of Meta Knight's body for warmth rather than the cape.

"Especially so, because of you." There seemed to be hesitance in his voice, yet with longing. Malvara didn't know which one he felt more.

"_Why does he have to be so hard to figure out?" _She thought, annoyed at her confusion. Sooner or later, she would find out.

"Malvara?" Meta Knight said in a more gentle and soft whisper. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine. Rather, I'm dazzled," Malvara replied, still in a trance. Her eyes widened at the realization of what she said. Knowing she accidentally said her thoughts aloud, her cheeks were red. She looked away, the visible half of her face out of Meta Knight's view.

"Dazzled, you say? I wonder why that would be so, I wonder."

Malvara's blush deepened. No choice but to tell the truth. She knew Meta Knight could read her mind so lying would be useless. "Would you be surprised if I admitted you dazzle me?"

Meta Knight chuckled softly, eyes turning pink. "To be honest, yes. I do not understand how I dazzle you, but I suppose I would be correct to assume that's a good thing."

Malvara looked at him, disbelieving. "You don't realize how you affect others?"

"Forget everyone else at the moment. How do I dazzle you in particular?"

"Well, I suppose I could tell you the truth since you can tell if I lie anyway." Once again, Meta Knight chuckled. "When I look into your eyes, it's like I'm in a trance. I feel intrigued on what you are every time I gaze at you. You are full of surprises whether you know it or not. The way you appear out of no where at unexpected times is a mystery, but I admire that about you. And..."

"Yes, what is it?" She saw his eyes were shining pink, but with a tinge of blue.

"It's well...I love the sound of your voice." Malvara admitted. "It's so sweet and reassuring. I enjoy listening to you talk...and sing."

"Singing?" Meta Knight asked, eyes reverting to yellow. "What are you talking about?"

"I've heard you sing before, around Christmas Eve. I listened because you have a really talented voice. Your singing is so beautiful, I just couldn't ignore it." Malvara saw his eyes flash purple. "I didn't offend you, did I?"

Meta Knight took a step backwards, his cape returning behind him. "No, you did not. I never knew you heard...me sing. I never intended for it to be so loud."

"It wasn't. I was attracted to how sweet your voice was. I doubt anyone else knew though, with the party and all." Malvara looked down. "Sorry if that bothered you, but it was one way that you dazzle me."

"I'm not angry at you," Meta Knight said, returning to Malvara's side until both their arms touched. "You surprise me too Malvara. You are so interesting."

"I do?" Malvara asked, trying not to blush. "You think I'm interesting?"

Meta Knight nodded, the movement making his armour clink. "You amaze me like a dazzle you. Even when we first met, I was curious about you. Your sweet and timid nature invited me to come closer, to know you better. At first sight, I could not deny you were beautiful. Remember when I told you I loved chocolate brown?" He gazed into her visible eye.

Malvara's blush deepened to a shade of scarlet. "Yes, I do. I did say you were full of surprises."

"Why are you blushing Malvara?" Meta Knight questioned, smiling behind the mask.

"You're embarrassing me!" To her annoyance, he laughed in response softly. "What's so funny about my embarrassment?"

"How easy it is to make you blush when you're alone with me." Meta Knight stated. "I knew you were modest but perhaps you take my compliments more to heart."

"No, I don't think so..." Her tone contained too much doubt to be convincible.

"How do you explain every time that I compliment you, I notice you blush?"

"That's different. You dazzle me. If I compliment you the same way, would you be blushing?"

"No. Perhaps you are much more modest than I thought."

"Why don't compliments embarrass you? How can you be so modest and not go through that? I wouldn't be surprised if you heard quite a few behind your back! You probably got used to it by now." Malvara said irritably.

"Did I say compliments never embarrass me?" Malvara looked away. "I doubt anyone else here would compliment me. To others, I am different and looked down upon. Keep in mind that I'm a monster, supposedly a bloodthirsty killer."

Malvara immediately felt guilty, especially when he brought that subject up. "I'm sorry Meta Knight. I didn't mean that."

"I know you didn't." A sigh escaped him. "I hide too much for my own good. For as long as I can remember, I've been locked away behind this mask. For so long, my emotions remain hidden and it...hurts."

"Meta Knight..."

"Malvara, I'm so sorry. I truly am. I desperately want to be with you, but it's so hard losing someone close to me before and trying not to remember the guilt. I never was truly able to be myself with anyone, not even her before she died." His tone seemed so sombre and defeated. Malvara noticed his eyes turn grey. His breath came in shaky gasps once in a while but Malvara didn't know whether he was crying or not.

Malvara wanted to cheer him up. Suddenly, an idea came to her. She wrapped her arms around Meta Knight, tightly embracing him. He gasped at first, but accepted the gesture. His hands were placed on her shoulders. He allowed himself to lean against her and enjoy the warmth of her skin. "Better?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you so much for your kindness." He relaxed in her arms, breathing in and out deeply. Her presence soothed him and it sent chills of pleasure throughout his body. "Don't let go," he whispered to her, voice sounding demanding and with longing outweighing the hesitance that had been in its place.

"I won't." She leaned closer to Meta Knight, one of her hands settling on his mask. His heart threatened to stop from shock at the touch. "I understand how much you hurt and I feel so sorry for you. You mean a lot to me Meta Knight. From now on, I'll try to ease your pain."

"I...want to be freed...Hiding my emotions behind a mask is awful Malvara. I really want to be open with you, like that day after Christmas. How good it feels to tell your feelings to someone you trust. I never knew how important it was...until now."

"You will be free, I promise," Malvara assured, her hand grasping of the supports on Meta Knight's mask. His heart rate increased when the mask loosened. Slowly and gently, she slid it off, revealing his cute Kirby-like face once again. She smiled seeing how cute his facial features were.

Happiness bubbled inside of him, threatening to overwhelm his senses. He felt as though the façade hiding his true emotions shattered. The urge to be himself came out and he accepted it with open arms. One of his gloved hands reached towards Malvara's cheek and stroked it, his face coming closer to hers.

Malvara giggled, holding him the same manner as a teddy bear. "You're so hot," she said without thinking. Her cheeks turned bright red.

"I think you're cute," Meta Knight said, smiling, blushing as well. His breath gently blew across her face, stunning her. His scent attracted her, likes hers attracting him. They took in each other's scent, breathing it in, faces only a couple inches apart.

Malvara placed her hands on his cheeks. He forced himself to breath, almost stopping from the moment. She felt his cheeks become warmer as his blush deepened to crimson. Their foreheads made gentle contact as their lips slowly drew closer.

"I have fallen in love again," she heard Meta Knight whisper affectionately. Malvara had never been happier to hear those words in her life.

Meta Knight's soft lips lightly pressed against hers, inviting her into a romantic kiss. Malvara accepted it and allowed her lips to create a moment of pure passion and pleasure. They lost control of their senses, awareness of their surroundings replaced with desires to strengthen their love.

Malvara's hands became occupied with rubbing Meta Knight's shoulders while he stroked her back. Their lips separated for a moment to catch their breath before leaning in again.

The second time, their scents strengthened their senses and desire to deepen the kiss they were sharing even further. Scents were not enough anymore but taste became in demand.

The kiss took a step further in passion, surprising both of them. Meta Knight's tongue slipped into Malvara's mouth, slow dancing with hers equivalent to the one they shared at the Christmas Party. Her face felt considerably hotter than ever, so much that Meta Knight could feel the heat radiating from her skin. Malvara's lips slightly parted, allowing her tongue to search for the taste she currently desired. Meta Knight moaned from pleasure, exciting both of them in their intimate state. The taste was so sweet, so mouth watering and so delectable.

"Blueberries," Malvara tried to say, tongue still intertwined with his. To others, it would sound like a mumble. To Meta Knight, it was a sweet lyric to a romantic song performed by angels.

"Cherries," he replied, another moan emanating from his vocal. Malvara giggled adding her own share of lyrics to the song. Very gently, they separated. "You taste like cherries...I love cherries."

"You taste like blueberries, my favourite." She placed a hand on his rosy cheek and leaned in again.

"Feeling romantic, are we?" Meta Knight asked, his lips stroking her cheek rather than his hands. Malvara nodded, blushing as his breath blew across her face again.

Meta Knight kissed her softly on the lips, his hands stroking Malvara's hair. It felt warm in his gloved hands, but it wasn't enough to satisfy him. He removed the gloves from his hands and felt the texture of her gorgeous hair. "Hmmm, I like that...the warmth..."

Malvara's heart skipped a beat feeling Meta Knight's ungloved hands touch her face. She never knew how smooth his skin could be. It just couldn't be real. He felt the increase of her heart and chuckled.

"Surprised?"

Malvara nodded, resting against his shoulder. "I never knew you could be such a romantic. You're a really good kisser...wow...that was amazing."

Now Meta Knight realized what he just did and his eyes changed colours to purple. After sitting up once again, he averted his gaze, cheeks blushing bright red, contrasting against his dark complexion. Malvara smiled at his change of emotions. She now knew what it meant when his eyes are purple. How obvious the answer was all along.

"Meta Knight, are you embarrassed?"

"Well, um..." he stuttered, not able to form a complete sentence.

Malvara grinned slightly chuckling. "The Great Star Warrior Meta Knight is embarrassed!"

"M-Malvara, please-" She hugged him, cutting off his sentence. He even snuggled up against her cheek. Slowly, he breathed in her scent again. His eyes closed halfway, contented.

"I love you Meta Knight," she confessed in a soft whisper.

"I love you too," he replied, holding her close to him. Malvara took off her gloves and held his hands. He was surprised at first, but he smiled making his cute features appear more adorable than ever. "I'm so happy."

Malvara smiled seeing his eyes turn blue. "I'm glad to hear that. I want you to be happy."

"Do not leave me...I want to be with you forever." His soft lips stroked against hers again. Their faces were so close, Malvara could feel the heat of his blushing radiate from his cheeks.

"I'll stay with you as long as you want me to. You are the most important part of my life now." Malvara stroked along his face, tracing the outlines of his cheeks to his smooth lips which seemed to tremble under her hand. His cheek pressed against hers for a long moment, and every time he touched her, the softness of his skin was irresistible.

Meta Knight's radiant white eyes gazed into her own, leaving her breathless. He was successful in dazzling her with that unbreakable gaze, whether he knew it or not. They seemed to sparkle and she wondered if they were tears, but perhaps from happiness.

**

_The stars twinkled softly as two figures sat underneath the gorgeous sky, bodies only an inch apart. The atmosphere pleasant, the mood lightened with each others presences. _

"_For so long, this war has been going on for years. We've come a long way, didn't we Meta Knight?" Her voice soothed me almost like a spell. _

"_Yes, we have." I was not one to voice my feelings and thoughts into so many words but she knew and accepted that. We loved each other and I considered asking her out on a date. The thought sent flutters in my stomach. I never experienced romance before so I was self conscious. _

"_I remember when we first met on the battlefield. You had been hurt badly that day, remember?"_

"_Hmmm, yes I do recall something like that. In those days, I was a little nervous about being in a hospital. At first, I was afraid." I looked down when I spoke, trying not to blush. "You helped me endure it and I am forever grateful." _

"_You are very sweet," she replied. "I'm truly happy to have met you." She stroked my cheek, my mask off at the moment. _

"_Me too," I said, voice weak embarrassed and from being so flattered. "Um, would you like to go out tomorrow?" Those words slipped from my mouth and I immediately covered it with my hand. _

"_Of course I would. I will be looking forward to it." She helped me up from the ground. I never would allow anyone to touch me in such a way but she was an exception. I didn't resist another hug or being held the whole way there. _

Meta Knight awoke, the clock striking one in the morning. Under his mask, he felt that his cheeks were wet with tears. Annoyed, he hastily wiped them from his face. He glanced at Malvara who slept peacefully in her bed, even whispering his name a few times. He smiled warmly watching her sleep. Suddenly an explosion came from the kitchen, startling Meta Knight. He quietly crept downstairs and peeked around the corner.

Kirby tried baking as Meta Knight anticipated. He often did that before they were invited to Super Smash Brothers. He jumped up and down seeing his father figure, oblivious to the mess he made. Meta Knight sighed and patted Kirby on the head.

"Why aren't you in bed Kirby?" Meta Knight asked. Kirby poyoed, saying he had a bad dream. A typical response. He sighed. "It was only a bad dream. You are all right now." What he did not expect was Kirby snuggling at the top of his cape. Meta Knight sighed. "Did you want to sleep in my room?"

"Poyo!" Kirby squealed, bouncing up and down. He rested against his mentor, using the cape as a blanket. He fell asleep by the time they made it to the bedroom so Meta Knight carefully placed Kirby on his bed and lay down beside him. Gazing at Kirby's face felt equivalent to looking at himself in a mirror.

His eyes closed and they both drifted off to sleep. This time, Meta Knight had a good dream, one about Malvara.


	9. True Intentions

_This is the turning point in the novel! The plot really begins now. Be warned: there will be more cliffhangers! _

_In the previous chapter, Meta Knight's previous lover is a real character. If anyone guesses who it could be, you get free bloopers when the novel is fully updated. Congratulations to Starrgrl24 who got it right! ^-^_

_Enjoy the new chapter! _

_Disclaimer: See chapter 1_

_****************************************************************_

True Intentions: Chapter Nine

"Seriously?!"

"I'm serious."

"You HAVE to be joking!"

"No, I'm not."

"Really?!"

"Really."

"Yay!" Jigglypuff cheered, jumping up and down on her chair at the library. She took Malvara's hands in hers and spun her around in a happy dance. "Wow, I'm so happy that he kissed you! I never thought that would happen so soon! Does that mean you two are an item?"

Malvara shrugged her shoulders, still smiling. "Who knows? At the moment, it seems to be that way. I'm still trying to believe this is real and not a dream."

"Oh, oh, oh, was it one of _those _kisses?" Malvara understood what she meant and nodded.

"One of those kisses too. It did take me by surprise, but it was the best experience I had in my life!" She wouldn't have spoken so loudly if there were others present in the library or if Meta Knight was awake. He still slept even though the clock already struck ten.

Jigglypuff squealed in delight, causing the librarian's head to tilt upwards to see if something was wrong. Malvara tapped Jigglypuff on the shoulder who noticed the librarian looking her way. She grinned sheepishly and sat down on the chair again.

"Wow, that's sweet!" Jigglypuff whispered, giggling. "You and Meta Knight, how cute!"

Malvara looked down, something she tended to do when she felt awkward or embarrassed.

"Exactly what is cute?" Jigglypuff stopped giggling and Malvara froze up. She knew that dazzling voice quite well. Meta Knight stood in the doorway, but without his cape wrapped around himself. He let it flow down to the ground behind him.

"Uh, nothing." Malvara said quickly. She felt helpless hiding the truth from him. He chuckled; a sign he was not convinced.

"So…Jigglypuff believes we are cute together?" Shocked expressions followed his question.

"H-How did you know what we were talking about? I thought you were sleeping," Malvara said, still not able to get over Meta Knight appearing out of no where.

"I happened to wake up in time to hear the rest of the conversation," Meta Knight said simply, amused. Before Malvara could respond, her hand was intertwined with his. "How long have you two been here? Everyone else is going to the stadium for this mornings brawl."

"Oh, I totally forgot!" Jigglypuff sat, jumping from her seat. She waved at Malvara before leaving. Meta Knight and Malvara followed, still hand holding.

--

After another long, yet pleasant day of life in the tournament, Malvara was ready to go to sleep. She carefully took her ponytail down so it wouldn't cause her discomfort. Too focused on sleeping, she didn't know that Meta Knight was not on his bed, but somewhere else. She gently moved the pink covers about to get warm when she noticed a familiar blue puffball.

Malvara nearly screamed from the surprise, but Meta Knight sat up and put a hand over her mouth. "It's all right," he whispered softly. "I am sorry I scared you so much."

"Scared is an understatement," Malvara pointed out, climbing into the bed all the same. "Why aren't you sleeping in your bed tonight? Is something wrong with it?"

"No…I wanted to be with you, in your presence. How else would I enjoy your company?" Meta Knight smiled as he spoke. He leaned against her face and breathed in her scent again. "Your hair looks nice like that…You should keep it down more often."

Malvara paused for a moment before reaching over to remove his mask. He didn't resist and let her take it off. She placed it on the table beside them and gazed into Meta Knight's alluring white eyes. She swiftly pressed her lips to his, causing him to blush. Malvara giggled and snuggled up next to him.

"You're embarrassed again," she said, smiling.

"…Maybe," Meta Knight replied, knowing she spoke the truth. Feeling his blush deepen, he hid his face under the covers. "I am still accustoming to this. I never felt so loved before."

Malvara carefully pulled the covers off his face and stroked both of his cheeks. "Even so, I think you are very romantic. I never had experience in this either." He smiled, returning to her arms and relaxing. "How will I ever go to sleep now Meta Knight?"

"Does my very presence affect you that much?" Meta Knight asked, leaning closer to kiss her again. She nodded a second before his lips stroked against hers. Inside, Malvara's nerves were shaking from the excitement and the pleasure of the moment, imperceptible at first, slowly altering to dedicated fervour.

Malvara no longer thought with a conscience mind, rather by instincts craving affection. She slipped her tongue into Meta Knight's mouth to taste the blueberry flavour again. Subsequently, his face went red, but he desired her taste just as much. Their tongues battled for dominance though no one seemed to be winning.

"Mmhm." Malvara heard Meta Knight moan from pleasure and the intensity of the passion. His hands traveled through her consistently silky curls. They separated, catching their breath again. Their need for intimacy being met, drowsiness overcame them. Meta Knight's heart beat increased when Malvara fell asleep, leaned onto him. With a chuckle, he joined her.

**

_Dark ominous shadows surrounded two lone figures, one I recognized as myself. The other one could not be made out no matter how I much I tried to see his or her face. Yet as I approached, I saw the figure was female. With my hand, I reached towards her to be sure I wasn't dreaming._

_She disappeared before my very eyes and I whirled around frantically, eyes searching for her silhouette. Taunting laughter filled the area which I discovered, was a forest. I opened my mouth to speak when a wave of water headed towards me and I braced myself for the impact. _

_I opened my eyes to see my__self alone at a lake, the water black rather than clear. I saw my evil reflection in the unmoving waters with shock and fear. Somehow, I got the vibe this meant something frightening was to come._

"_How do you like your new form Meta Knightmare_?" _a strange, menacing voice asked me._

_I glared up at my creator, holding __**her**__ in that ghastly grip of his. I growled threateningly, demanding he let her go._

"_She has no meaning to you now…Now that you've become what you are meant to be…Without hesitation, you must obey my ever command with no resistance."_

_I said no loudly, defiantly. I didn't have to serve this horrible purpose of being a monster. He would have to understand and accept that about me. Being loyal to someone like him was not on my priorities._

"_I thought for one moment that you would have been a success. Treason and betrayal need to be punished." He took me in his other hand, his claw-like fingers digging into my back. I felt liquid spread down my back which I realized with horror that it was my very own blood. My whole body burned from agony and the loss of blood. _

_My eyes turned red, full of hate. I wished for him to die, no matter the cost._

**

Meta Knight abruptly sat up, frightened from his dream. His whole body shook from the fear and reality. So much of his past haunted him before he awoke. Beside him was Malvara who also woke up, concerned what frightened Meta Knight.

"Are you all right? You were talking in your sleep." Malvara's voice soothed him enough to speak understandably without stuttering.

"I was?"

"Yes. It sounded like you were having a nightmare or something."

"Nightmare…" Meta Knight shuddered, hearing that word. Malvara could see an expression of pain on his face. His eyes flashing orange briefly indicated something was definitely wrong.

Malvara understood. "Was…that the name of your creator?" He nodded, expression unchanging.

"You dreamt of him," she stated. "What happened?"

Meta Knight leaned back against the pillow. "It…was about a horrible part of my past, a memory I've longed to forget…" He seemed reluctant to continue, but kept speaking anyway. "He found me disloyal a long time ago and attempted to change me. Each time failed no matter how hard he tried. He punished me by abuse to the point that I bled. Resisting the urge to control my demon instincts I still possessed never felt harder than at that moment. Time passed and the injury left horrific scars; ones I always hid…until now."

Malvara almost gasped when Meta Knight sat up and pushed the cape aside, allowing her to see the scars. Unlike the one on his face, the ones on his back were more visible; almost a shade of light grey. It was evident the pain was inevitably excruciating.

"I'm…so sorry you had to go through that."

"There's no need to be. Nothing can be done to change the past, but we have an effect on the future." Malvara held his hand tenderly.

"Is that why most of the time you keep your cape wrapped around yourself? To hide the scars?"

Meta Knight nodded. "I've been ashamed of them but now I am not afraid to admit I have scars, both physically and emotionally when I'm with you."

What he did not expect was Malvara stroking along his back and the scars. He leaned against the pillow on his stomach. He left his cape pushed aside while she could rub his back all she wanted.

For the next hour, Meta Knight and Malvara talked to each other; voicing parts of their life they normally wouldn't talk about.

"When I was still fighting in the war, not all the times then were bad. Once in a while, when my friends were still alive, we used to play cards after everyone else fell asleep. Sometimes, we would make bets on whoever would win. I remember one time when I was sure my best friend would have won the match, but he ended up losing. That was the first time anyone saw my face but they were my friends so it wasn't as awkward. I never made bets involving my mask after that, maybe because I was embarrassed that much the first time."

"Hmm, cards sound fun. I've heard of them before. Perhaps we should play that game together."

Meta Knight chuckled. "Maybe. I still would not involve my mask in any bets again."

"There's nothing wrong with your face Meta Knight. I think it's cute…" Malvara rested against his shoulder, lips close enough to touch against his skin. He blushed, as Malvara's breath gently soothed his face.

"You really think so?" he said softly.

Malvara nodded, lightly touching his cheek with her hand, and briefly, her lips.

"Did you do anything else?"

"Every morning, everyone in the army had to train; a warm up you may call it. On occasion, it would get out of hand, others fooling around in such. Never tell jokes during training. No one could concentrate one time because one went too far."

"Did you know someone who would do that?" Malvara asked.

"My best friend...It was only a week before he became demon. I was left with no option but to kill him. A month afterwards, my love and I were sent on a mission together. She didn't survive. For years, I had been in depression and refused to speak to anyone unless I had to. When we first met, that was why I didn't say much. The fear...of losing someone else close to my heart frightened me so much. I didn't want to take the risk, but that day when Wolf threatened you, it infuriated me. Ever since that incident, I've been protective of you. Little did you know at the time, I kept watch on you, making sure you would be safe. It felt like an instinct, to protect someone I love. I denied falling in love again until..." He trailed off at the end of the sentence. "I felt conflicted after I kissed you for the first time. It felt so wrong...In my mind, I thought _she _would be hurt if she knew I fell in love again. So I decided to detach myself from you, but you cared about me more than I thought you did and desired seeking the truth. Realizing my mistake, I accepted my feelings...Love is unpredictable isn't it?"

"Yeah, even I'm starting to realize that. We've come a long way. Imagine: the start of the tournament how distant we were from each other. I cannot believe we used to be so different." Malvara didn't mind the change of subject but rather the honesty relieved her. "When I ended up here, I was afraid. I never did tell anyone how I came here in the first place. It all began when I was scheduled for mutation as Isaken told you last November.

Tabuu desired to change me into an evil monster and destroy my heart and my own free will to ensure I would be a success. I overheard them talking about their plans without them knowing and used the escape hatch to evacuate. I knew I could die upon impact from such a height but I attempted it anyway. When I arrived here, alone with strangers, it was scary. I didn't know whether the situation got worse instead of better. The Master Hand introduced me to you; it was also the same time he asked you to bring me dinner. You didn't speak much as the time so I couldn't understand you well. The same time you felt protective of me was the same time my trust for you developed. When you accepted me even knowing what I am, I began to fall in love, but for so long I denied it, only passing it off as a crush to Jigglypuff. She knew my feelings for you before I accepted them myself and at the party, I admitted it. Love is unpredictable and unexpected, I may add."

"Without love, we would never have developed for the better." Meta Knight held her close to him, his body warm from the blankets. "I'm glad you did come here. I never would have met you if you did not take the risk at the time."

Malvara smiled, a yawn escaping her. She never knew how tired she was.

"We should get some sleep. We have another long day ahead of us." He casually stroked her soft curls, resting against the pillows. "Do not worry. I'm here beside you like I always had been."

Malvara relaxed into his arms. "All right then. Good night."

"Sleep well. I love you Malvara." He kissed her one more time before closing his eyes.

Malvara held back a giggle. Meta Knight looked so cute when he tried to sleep. Without the mask, his eyes actually closed all the way instead of dulling down to a dark shade of amber. She stroked his eyelid for a moment, admiring the smoothness of the skin before joining him in sleeping.

**

Snake sat back in his armchair to watch all the videos he recorded throughout the third tournament. With the remote in his hand, he selected which on what he wanted to view: the scene at the garden two months ago. He leaned back in the chair to see the presentation.

"_And you tell me not to freeze to death," he whispered softly. She scowled a little. _

"_I didn't fall on purpose. You startled me, appearing out of no where like that." His response to that comment was a soft laugh. _

"_I apologize. It is not my fault if you were not paying attention."_

_Malvara's face went a deep shade of pink. "I was paying attention."_

_Meta Knight pointed to the midnight blue rose in her hand she still held in her grasp. "…Really? It seemed as though you were admiring the flowers at the time." _

"_Well, midnight blue is my favourite colour, so…" The realization of what she said dawned upon her. Meta Knight also happened to be dark blue. His eyes flickered a light shade of blue for a moment. _

"_I must say, chocolate brown is excessively gorgeous," he replied, gazing at her. The eye that was visible happened to be brown and with that unexpected response, Malvara blushed. _

Snake chuckled, satisfied his new movies were working exactly as planned. The figures of Meta Knight and Malvara continued to amuse him. The video ended with his own self made credits playing; a food fight ensued in the background. The noisiest of the production were Diddy Kong screeching and Lucas screaming.

He pressed the eject button on the remote and the CD popped out. He placed it back on the shelf and took out the Christmas videos. In the creation of his productions, he inserted music to fit the mood. The Crazy Hand's choice of music was replaced with Metal Gear tunes.

"_Much better,_" Snake thought, watching the Christmas Party. The scene faded out when everyone left for the cafeteria. The next scene took place in the hallway when Meta Knight and Malvara were underneath the mistletoe. Romantic music began as Meta Knight's mask fell to the ground. As it landed with a thud, a "Dun, dun, dun," sound effect rang out.

Hearing the noises nearby, Isaken's interest rose and he peered around the corner. The voices confirmed his suspicions, intrigued him; like Malvara's for example.

"Snake, may I perchance, join you?"

The tone of his voice equaled that of a strict command. Snake shrugged. "All right. I was getting to the good part anyway." Isaken took a seat next to him and intently watched the video.

_She leaned closer until their faces were only an inch apart. Her lips moved closer to his, as if to wait for him to make the first move. Meta Knight hesitated, but in the next second, his lips pressed gently against hers. _

_Malvara's face instantly warmed up to a deep shade of scarlet. His lips were so soft and the texture seemed enhanced when they began to caress affectionately against hers. She placed her hands on his shoulder plates and leaned in for another kiss. Meta Knight seemed to understand and the kiss became more powerful, with more demand. _

_Her heart skipped a beat when she heard Meta Knight hum, lips still stroking each others. "He must really like this." The humming created a small vibration relaxing both of them. _

Isaken watched the kiss with disgust and resentment. By now, he would have expected Meta Knight to turn against Malvara, but there he had been, kissing her instead. His hand's grasped the armchair with such strength that some of the material tore down through the middle. Snake paused, uncertain of what was wrong.

"Despicable…Unbelievable. Something must be done!"

"What is wrong with Meta Knight and Malvara being in love? They are doing nothing wrong," Snake said simply.

Isaken glared. "I need to fix this immediately. This time, I will show no mercy." His eyes even flashed bright red. "I should have done this a long time ago, but now I will not hold back."

Snake intently watched Isaken leave with suspicion. Something was bound to go wrong and tomorrow would provide answers of what may be ahead. He picked up a new camera and set it up around Isaken's room, and one by Meta Knight and Malvara's. They would need monitoring for their own good.

**

Malvara hummed a cheerful tune as she headed downstairs for some quiet time in the library before it supper would be served. She became interested in some romance novels and Meta Knight encouraged her to find some. He told her he'd be training for the next hour so that gave her personal free time. The hour passed quickly behind the pages of the Twilight series. Halfway through the first book and she officially became hooked. She mentally reminded herself she would have to thank Peach for recommending those books to her.

Light footsteps caught her attention and swiftly, Malvara glanced behind her. No one appeared to be in sight. She shivered, continuing down the porch hallway. How paranoid she was. No one could be pursuing her. As far as she was aware, everyone wouldn't have a reason to hate her. She gasped when a vase near her shattered into many pieces. Nervously, she called out. "Hello? Anyone there?" Frightening silence followed.

Red hate filled eyes analyzed Malvara's every move. He would strike soon; when the time was right. In a flash, a chain appeared in Isaken's hands. It's every movement defied the laws of gravity; floating in mid-air waiting for her to pass by.

Malvara opened her mouth to speak again, when her foot was restricted in a tight hold. She noticed that a chain held her in place, preventing her from escaping. In a second, her body slammed into the wall. The aching pain spread through her being as she made impact with the ground. Dizzy and slightly disoriented, she looked up to see a swift attack slice across her cheek. She stumbled backwards and onto the broken vase. Cuts dug into her back, drawing a gradual flow of blood. The scents of it turned her stomach, yet part of her desired the taste.

"Having fun yet?" Isaken said, approaching Malvara. "I figured today would be the best day to intervene on this situation. Snake showed me his videos which prove you've been in romantic contact with Meta Knight, am I right?"

"What business is that of yours?" Malvara hissed, wounds still stinging. The chain tightened around her waist and threw her back into the couch, landing on top of her. In a rush of adrenaline, she tossed the weight off of her. The pain in her arms seared through the rest of her body and she lay on the ground, trying to stop the flow of blood.

"You need to hold your tongue." He smiled smugly at her. "What would dear Meta Knight do if he were to find you in this state?"

"You wouldn't hurt him, would you!?" She shouted.

"Not yet. His death will come later. After killing you, he will desire to avenge you like the bloodthirsty monster he is. In his rage, I can easily kill him. You don't think I'll do it? Then I will show you…" He squeezed Malvara's arm so tight, the blood flowed double the speed. A scream of agony escaped her. She bit her lip, trying to resist her strengthening need for the blood, even if it was hers.

Isaken lifted her by the arm. "I will not kill you…if you can prove to be a success. I scheduled for you to be mutated, remember? Your appointment seemed to be a little late, wouldn't you say? Maybe if you pull through like a _good _demon, I will let you live. Your choice."

A voice came from behind. "_Isaken, what the __**hell**__ do you think you're doing?!" _Isaken looked up to see Meta Knight there, sword out, eyes flashing red. The other Smashers stood behind, furious at the scene before them.

"Oh, you mean punishing this failed demon? Why would that be such a bad thing?" Isaken replied, Malvara dangling in his grasp. "She is of no use to any of you anymore. Now if you'll excuse me, my Master wishes to see her. He's been very concerned." The roof of the porch literally blew apart as a large ship landed. "Let the Master Hand know my time here served me well. My Master, Tabuu, will be pleased to hear the good news."

He turned around to see everyone severely angry at him. Meta Knight refrained himself from attacking, in case the scent of the blood took over his mind. "That's right; keep your demon side under control Meta Knight. You don't anyone else getting hurt, do you?"

"Meda Nigh not a monster!" Kirby said in the English he managed to learn.

Meta Knight looked downwards, avoiding everyone's gaze. "I don't want to be…a monster…a demon. I've resisted for so long. I will not hurt anyone else no matter what."

"For now." He stepped inside the ship. "Fear not. If Malvara succeeds as a demon, she will live." The engines started up and Meta Knight tried his best to control his anger. If he had acted, someone would have been hurt, injured or dead. The power inside him he feared to use, a reason why he had to control himself in brawls.

Meta Knight skipped dinner, not caring about his empty stomach. Memories replayed themselves in his mind for at least an hour or so before he decided some sort of action needed to be taken in order to save Malvara's life. He made his way downstairs, knowing he would have to confront the Smashers and the Master Hand. Letting Malvara die wasn't an option.

"Are you sure about that?" the Master Hand asked in a serious tone. "Isaken really betrayed us and because of that, Malvara could die?"

"That's the truth. We need to rescue her as soon as possible. She has been scheduled for mutation at the research facility. Her creator is Tabuu, I have heard."

"Tabuu?!" the Master Hand asked in a quiet tone. "I never thought he would still be alive after so long. So, one of his creations was Malvara, but she didn't turn out as expected. Because of that, she ended up here to escape mutation? We need to do something about this. Knowing Tabuu, his whereabouts would lead him to Subspace."

"We can use the Halberd for transportation."

"That sounds like a great idea. Tabuu would have armies and weapons at his disposal so we need something to counter with that. I trust the Halberd is capable of attacking and defense maneuvers if need be?" Meta Knight nodded. "We will then bring items from the storage for both offensive and recovery. According to the distance, it would take about three hours for the Halberd to make it to Subspace. From there on, we would divide into groups and find Malvara and deal a heavy blow to the facility."

"I see no problem with that."

"We'll depart as soon as possible. I will tell the other Smashers to report to the meeting room immediately. We need to rescue Malvara before she is mutated."

"In approximately two days." Snake said, holding a video camera. "According to one of my videos, it proved that."

"In only two days? Everyone must know of this now!" the Master Hand announced the news over the intercom.

**

Meta Knight gazed out the window of the Halberd's pilot room. He remembered the day so well when he and Malvara went out for a picnic. His fists tightened, hating Isaken so badly. The images of Malvara laying there on the ground, hurt and unable to stand haunted his thoughts and imprinted themselves into his memory. He resisted the temptations not to unleash his anger on the steering wheel. If he had accompanied her at the time, maybe she would still be all right. Meta Knight sighed, hoping Snake was correct about the two days. The more time remaining, the better.

The sky became purple while they penetrated Subspace. The blue sky and sunset had long vanished behind the view as dark clouds took their place. A few Smashers stood on the roof fighting off any enemies approaching the Halberd. So far, no severe threat encountered the Smashers and the trip would be no more than ten minutes.

The alarm blared through the Halberd a couple minutes later. "ENGINE MALFUNCTIONING. PLEASE ABANDON SHIP." Meta Knight's grip on the wheel tightened enough for them to land safely on the dock, missing another battleship beside them. As the Halberd stopped completely, Isaken's ship received a scrape to the side. The windshield took damage but no one noticed.

"Something or someone must have snuck aboard and took out the engine," Snake muttered under his breath. "We should be here though. This looks like the research facility."

The Smashers single filed off the ship and made their way to the entrance. A speaker cracked with static before a female monotone voice said, "State your identity."

"We are Isaken's followers." Snake replied into the speaker. "Let us through."

"Isaken has followers? He never mentioned anything like that before."

"He found new companions willing to aid him at all costs while he was absent for the past few months." Meta Knight said, explaining the situation further.

"Uh…all right. It should not be a problem I suppose." The doors opened and quietly, they entered. The whole area composed of technology from the machines and weapons to the doors. The walls shone with silver, yet dimmed from the lack of light. Small light bulbs gave the only source of sight.

Snake, reading the map, lead them to a room with armour and gear. "Everyone, put those on. Since we are infiltrating undercover, we must look the part as not to appear suspicious." Peach was the only one reluctant to change, but did so anyway.

"Uh man, this is odd," Ike remarked. "Is wearing armour always this uncomfortable Meta Knight?"

"It's not always the comfort that matters; it is the safety and protection that take the highest priority." At that, Ike remained silent. "Like Snake said, we are going undercover. Do not let anyone else know we are here. Is everyone ready?"

"We need to divide into groups remember?" Snake said. "Everyone, divide into groups of eight. This is not the time to be picky about whom you choose to accompany you. We only have so much time to rescue Malvara."

Ike, Marth, Kirby, Jigglypuff, Snake, Yoshi and Mario were the seven who accompanied Meta Knight; the ones who would find out where Isaken was currently located. Each of the four groups split up and went in different directions when the upcoming hallways lead to several more areas. Meta Knight wished the other groups the best of luck before he parted ways. They felt like a family to him; one that cared of his well being though Dedede always denied it.

Meta Knight knew now was not the time to ponder over such feelings. Malvara's life could end at anytime and he refused to let that happen. He would risk his life if the situation called for it and the other Smasher begun to realize he did have a heart after all. Though he hid it for so long, it surfaced through his façade and now he would protect the one he loved with all his might. He would not lose someone close to his heart again.

Especially Malvara.


	10. Fearful Potential

_The plot really begins now! I think this one turned out well! Just so you know, there is a lot of repeating in this part of the novel but it is put there on purpose to reinforce the previous updates. _

_Hint: Remember anything that was in italics previously. They might have had foreshadowing…Not all them will._

_And __two__ people will be getting extra bloopers. You two know who you are;)_

_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1_

_***************************************************************_

Fearful Potential: Chapter Ten

_In a dar__k hallway, I was wondering about. Voices could be distinctly heard from a room nearby. Whoever was speaking was having an important conversation. I walked silently down the hallway so I could hear what the voices were saying, careful not to make any noises._

_I__ could hear the voices clearly as soon as I was halfway down the hallway. _

"_What do you think should be done with her? She has never been useful to us after all those years it took to create her."_

"_It would be unwise to eliminate her," a voice said, cool and calmly. "We just may have some use of her yet. We could, of course, have her undergo more experiments to see why she has been useless. Once that is done, we can find out what is wrong with her and what can be done to rectify any errors."_

"_That will do Isaken. We'__ll carry this out this evening as planned earlier. I__'__ll see you and that girl later then. Be sure to keep to your word, because I guarantee, I can go back on mine must you attempt anything I wouldn't approve."_

"_That will do Master. We will both be there, I guarantee you. But if we are just a second late, you will have to deal with it, I suppose. Depends on how busy my schedule is. Very well, I'll see you tonight with the girl."_

_I__ shuddered at the thought of enduring more experiments. I went through so many, I lost count. I knew I had to escape as soon as possible, meaning now. Having lived in a research facility for a very long time, I knew where everything was. Knowing the research facility was high above the ground and my options of escaping were very limited. I did remember there was an escape hatch nearby. Finding it was a must and had to be done immediately._

_The hallway was vacant at the present moment so I was able to get to her destination without being detected. My hand went to open the door when an alarm blared through the entire area. I glared, my plan failing after I was feeling so hopeful it would work. My pace to the escape hatch quickened, my silent walking changed to the fastest running I could muster. _

_Adrenaline gave me the strength to send the door flying with one single punch. I kept my frantic pursuit to the exit, oblivious to the footsteps approaching me from behind. At the end of the room, I reached my goal of making it to the escape hatch. I finally did it._

_My sudden confidence gave me__ tremendous courage I never possessed before. Finally, I could be free after so many years of isolation and misery. Eagerly, I opened the hatch, took a deep breath and jumped. Memories flooded my mind as I fell towards the ground. My first day living as a creation became so vivid. Three thousand years passed since Tabuu created me to be his strongest demon and research specimen and each second I breathed, I defied him with uttermost determination. If I thought back long enough, I could still faintly feel the pain of undergoing an experiment. Nothing could be worse than mutation; the altering of my own body. I already had too many scars to be ashamed of without adding a horrid body on top of it. _

_I saw ground below me. My vision blurred upon the impact hitting the ground. I felt faint and my eyes closed halfway. Then something caught my attention. A white disembodied hand floated in my direction, almost unnoticeable against the blinding sunlight. My breathing slowed down, realizing this was my first time ever seeing sunlight. When the strange hand hovered over my body, I pretended to play dead not knowing what I was dealing with. _

_I nearly screamed now in the clutches of the hand, but the grasp was gentle, much more comforting than I anticipated. However, my instincts immediately told me I was in danger. I struggled to be released, only to be told in a reassuring voice, "Don't worry. I mean no harm. Do you need somewhere to rest?"_

"_Y-yes," I whispered in a weak voice. Regrettably, I found out I still felt lightheaded and nauseated. My body became limp, too tired out to put up a fight. I had no alternative but to trust him. Exhausted, my eyes closed fully, sleep coming easier than I expected. _

Malvara opened her eyes, body relaxed from her sleep. She turned hoping to see her familiar bedroom she shared with Meta Knight. When her arm moved, a sharp pain ached throughout her injuries. She gasped, eyes fully opening. To her worst fear, she lay on the ground of her room she lived in before when she was still a research specimen. It had been almost a year since she had been in there yet it felt like years. The reunion she wished she would never have to endure. Malvara knew she was back in the research facility, in Subspace. Picturing the Smash Mansion pained her emotionally nearly reducing her to tears. Where were the Smashers now, especially Meta Knight?

Malvara looked down to see her reflection in the mirror; various parts of her body covered in dried blood. In the facility, there was no hospitality so it came as no surprise she would be left without care for her injuries. Here she had to endure the pain with no one to provide her with care that she will recover.

"How surprising to see you back. I didn't think it would be so soon." Malvara turned to see Isaken at the door, expression containing amusement. "You're overdue for your appointment, I am afraid; by ten months as I recall."

"Mutation, right? Is such a drastic measure really necessary?" Malvara asked, showing no signs of fear. Isaken didn't need weaknesses to work against her.

"You don't know how much," Isaken answered simply. "You will follow me there tomorrow. If you know what's good for you, you will not resist. You are heavily outnumbered and have no chances of winning."

"I do not plan on resisting. So, how exactly will I be mutated? What did you have in mind Isaken?" Malvara said calmly. How easy it was to talk about her demise like it wasn't a big deal.

"Oh, I see that you are interested now. Perhaps you are more capable of being a success then we first thought. Now that you mention it, we have something unexpected for you. Quite a likeness I may add." Isaken turned. "I knew if you were in enough risky circumstances, you would comply, like Meta Knight for example. Surely you don't want to be responsible for his death."

"You only need me Isaken, no one else. Like I said, no resistance. Fair enough?"

"For you, yes."

Malvara sighed with relief seeing him go. Acting was a much harder task than she thought it would be. She closed her eyes, fighting back any tears that tried to surface. If she wanted this to pass as calmly as possible, she had to keep strong.

**

For the last hour, the groups worked at their missions, trying to stay undercover. Not once did the alarms go off, meaning everyone managed to do their mission correctly so far. The hallways had been strangely vacant but because of that, they didn't have to encounter anyone so far. In Meta Knight's hands was a map that Ike managed to find on the walls in the previous room.

"Which way?"

"Turn left at the end of the hallway that leads to the elevator," Meta Knight replied. "Knowing Isaken, he would be located someplace higher in the facility."

"That is correct. According to the map, wherever any sort of research is carried out, it takes place on the top floor. Isaken would be there when the mutation experiment is carried out." Snake agreed. "At the latest of two days according to the video."

Ike raised an eyebrow. "What video?"

Snake lead them to the storage room, before pulling out the camera. He pressed the play button.

_Isaken glared. "I need to fix this immediately. This time, I will show no mercy." His eyes even flashed bright red. "I should have done this a long time ago, but now I will not hold back."_

"_Master Tabuu needs this to be done. In two days, we should schedule her for mutation. He has waited long enough and for this to test his patience should be worth it. With our new technology we could amplify her abilities to more than what would have been granted had she undergone the experiment last year." Isaken took out a communicator he always kept in his belt. After a few beeps, Tabuu appeared in the small screen. _

"_Lord Isaken, for what reason did you decide the call?"_

"_I'm calling in regards to Malvara, Master. I was recently watching Snake's videos only to discover our creation fell in love with Meta Knightmare. Evidence shown in solid, I now need to do something about this. We created Malvara to destroy Nightmare's strongest demon; the very one she loves. I never knew she would be disloyal enough to stoop to that level. What is your stand on me bringing Malvara back to Subspace?" _

"_I do not disagree. If you can do that task, I'll leave it up to you. Do not fail me. If you punish her in the process, that would be perfect."_

"_Very well Master Tabuu. I will return shortly, no more than four hours at most." _

"This Tabuu guy sounds like a tough opponent," Ike said, breaking the silence.

Snake nodded. "He is. Do not underestimate him. He is the leader of Subspace. I heard that Nightmare was his enemy; Tabuu easily found ways to destroy his demon beasts. However, he created one supposedly strong enough to eliminate Malvara, I believe. He suspects Nightmare's greatest creation is still alive."

Meta Knight shifted uncomfortably. "Tabuu knows?"

Kirby tugged at his cape, sensing something was bothering his mentor. "Meda Nigh?"

"I'm fine Kirby," Meta Knight replied evasively, too quickly to be conceived as convincible. The others looked at him concerned, but he pretended not to notice and tightened the grip on his cape. "We should be going now."

Everyone stayed silent as they followed after him. He was definitely hiding something from them.

**

"How much longer must we wait?" Isaken asked impatiently to Tabuu. "Is there a reason why the experiment has to be tomorrow rather than today?"

"The longer the truth has to sink in, the better off she'll be. This is her last day she'll have a free will. Let her relish such a moment in torture shall we?" Isaken understood his Master's decision and laughed as well.

He peered through the monitor watching the facility through the surveillance cameras. Isaken squinted a little seeing a few figures in the vacant hallway. "Master Tabuu, did you schedule anyone else for experiments?"

"No. Everyone was ordered to stay in their rooms for the day."

"Perhaps there are more traitors other than Malvara? From what I see, some are testing the rules. Look here," Isaken replied, moving out of the way as his Master saw the figures proceed down the hallway. "They seem rather unfamiliar, wouldn't you agree?"

"Now that you mention it, yes." Tabuu turned swiftly to Isaken. "Send in security and have them investigate this immediately."

Isaken nodded. He pressed the button to the intercom to alert all the forces to be on the lookout for anyone wondering outside their boundaries. It didn't work to his annoyance. The second time he pressed the button a little harder. "Master Tabuu, the communications seem to have malfunctioned. How else am I to alert the forces of the suspects?"

"What do mean by 'the communications seem to have malfunctioned?'" Tabuu pressed the button and found it didn't work. He glared. "Someone seemed to have meddled with the intercom and communication technologies. Something is definitely wrong. I suppose you'll have to find the forces yourself and tell them our predicament in person instead. Do not disappoint me."

**

"Hey, did anyone notice how quiet it got here all the sudden?" Ike asked, seemingly to no one.

"That must have been the others shutting down the intercom," Snake replied. "Without any source of communications, it is less likely security and alarms can function too. I knew we could count on the others. Now we need to hurry and find Malvara."

Meta Knight pressed the button to open the elevator doors. The eight of them managed to squeeze inside barely due to Mario eating too much blueberry pancakes topped with spaghetti sauce and garlic.

"For goodness' sakes Mario, do you have to eat so much all the time?" Jigglypuff asked, trying to breath in the limited space provided.

"I swear, it is not my fault I need to eat everyday," he objected.

"Seriously Mario, when was the last time you bothered to weigh yourself?" FLUDD taunted.

"The scale must have broken," Ike said, causing a couple to laugh.

"Now's not the time for this," Snake reminded the group. "Malvara's life is at stake and we need to hurry." The elevator door opened and they tumbled out, the pressure of Mario's stomach seizing. Ike opened his mouth to make some sort of comment but faint footsteps stopped him before he got the chance.

"Ike, is something-" Ike shushed Marth and put his hand to his ear. Everyone listened intently also happening to hear whatever Ike was concerned about. Snake swore under his breath.

"It's the Subspace forces. They must have been sent by Isaken. Everyone, we need to find someplace to hide. Even undercover, we cannot make out presence known, at least, not yet." Spotting a closet, he ushered everyone inside. Snake closed the door silently, leaving them in the dark. Voices echoed throughout the hallway as the group held their breath.

"Hmmm, I could have sworn I heard someone in here," Isaken said as he stood still in place.

"Perhaps it was the ones we saw through the surveillance camera earlier."

"It's Isaken…and Tabuu!" Ike said in a shocked whisper. Jigglypuff whimpered, now scared.

This time, it was Meta Knight who shushed the others.

"What is Isaken?" Tabuu asked.

"Just now, over by that closet, I know there's someone in there."

Snake cursed again, now finding somewhere to hide. Luckily, he and the others found a few large lockers in time before the door opened with a creak. Seeing Isaken through the crack, Meta Knight held his breath, hoping his presence wouldn't be made known. Isaken turned the light on and looked around, scanning the area carefully. He squinted at the slightly opened locker door behind him and cautiously advanced towards it. Meta Knight shrunk back so his glowing eyes wouldn't draw attention to him. Isaken glared in the same direction as if knowing Meta Knight was there. With a swift movement of his hand, the locker door was cast aside. Afraid, Meta Knight stayed as still as he could turning away hoping Isaken would leave.

The next thing he knew, his body landed with a loud thud on the ground. Meta Knight looked up from the cold ground, dazed and confused. Isaken frowned before a menacing glare replaced his previous expression. "My, it sure is an unpleasant surprise to see you, Meta Knightmare. Did you come here to rescue your girlfriend? Well, if that was the case, it is too late. I already assumed you didn't come alone so the rest of the forces are searching for anyone else that may have infiltrated the facility. As for what we will do with you, I will have to discuss this with Tabuu."

Meta Knight tried to stand, realizing the blow hurt more than he thought. His hands shook too much for him to reach for his sword; rather he stood paralyzed in fear. In a flash, Isaken whipped out his chain from seemingly thin air and took one simple swing, movements so fast, Meta Knight couldn't register in his mind what happened. He found himself on the ground, mask first, back badly injured. He fought against the urge to reach over and taste the blood, but he resisted. The scent made him lightheaded. Nauseated, he fainted, unable to endure the torture anymore.

Tabuu lifted the unconscious puffball by the cape. "Perhaps this demon will have use to us. Isaken, take him upstairs. Make sure he is restrained. We don't need him escaping."

**

"_Why did you save me from Wolf last night?" A moment of silence followed __my question, while Meta Knight thought about it carefully._

"_You were accused for something you did not do, and therefore you did not deserve the consequences from the actions of another. Wolf went too far and I could not let him harm you, no matter what." His eyes closed halfway, trying to relax against the tree. "No one should be treated like that, revenge or not."_

"_Oh," was all I could manage to say. I took one more sip from her juice not sure what to do next._

_Meta Knight seemed uncertain. "Is something wrong Malvara?" _

"_No, not really, it's just been an exhausting day that's all." Meta Knight motioned for me to continue drinking my juice. Though confused, I obeyed without any hesitance. Surprisingly, I did feel a little better than I had before. _

"_I must agree that today has been exhausting. The picnic certainly was enjoyable."_

_The sky above them darkened to a Subspace purple, confusing me. About now, we would have been on the Halberd, returning to the Smash Manson. A figure familiar to me materialized before my eyes turning out to be Isaken. Gasping I turned to run. He wasn't there before; what was going on? In his grasp was Meta Knight, only his eyes were glowing red. Plus, his wings replaced the cape that once been its place. _

"_How does it feel?"_

_Pain spread through my arm, injuring it severely. My eyes squeezed shut, not wanting to see the blood. _

"_How does it feel to be attacked by the one you love most? You truly thought Meta Knightmare loved you from the beginning? All this time, he has been luring you into demise, your death."_

"_Stop this! Why is this happening? N-Normally…Normally…"_

"_This is anything but normal. This is destiny Malicious Vampire, your punishment for associating with a monster; one that was designed to kill you." _

Malvara twitched before her eyes opened, awakening from her nightmare. Once her eyes adjusted to the lighting, she found herself on a lab table; the exact one that they used on her in the past. She closed her eyes, a blinding light hindering her vision.

"My, my. I see you were having a bad dream." Isaken stood dominantly over her small form. "Was that why you seemed so uncomfortable?"

"Y-Y-You were tampering with my memories!" Disbelief coloured her tone as she stared angrily up at Isaken. "How could you do such a thing?"

"I can do whatever I wish." Isaken replied smugly. He motioned to the bonds holding her body to the table, preventing from moving. She glared in his direction. "As you can see, the same cannot be said for you. This time, you will not escape. But do not be afraid, you will not be awake for this experiment for once. Figuring how resistant you would be to our plans, we compromised on if you obey us, you will not be awake to endure the pain. I assure you, when you wake up, there will be no pain. You have my word."

"How do I know you aren't lying? I know how deceitful you can be," Malvara shot back defiantly.

"I merely followed my orders, the consequences only being harmful to anyone standing in my way," Isaken pointed out. "Besides, I spent too much time talking to you. Now to business." He pressed a button the wall behind her and sleeping gas filled the room. Malvara struggled to keep awake, desperately failing and falling into the void of unconsciousness.

**

"_Malvara may have been created as a monster, but that doesn't mean she is one deep inside. With a heart and will of her own, she does not have to be bound to that purpose. She can choose her fate. I would never think differently of her."_

She knew I accepted her for who she was, even knowing the truth of where she came from and her destiny.

"Hmph, I'll give you time to think over your last statement Meta Knight. I would be glad to know when you change your mind." Isaken turned his back and left the two of us alone.

Malvara gazed into my eyes. "Did you really mean that Meta Knight? You don't...mind?"

"No, I do not mind. Perhaps now that I am aware, I can understand you better." I inched closer to her side. "I was wondering why you asked me if you were a monster last night. I knew something was bothering you and I feel better knowing the truth."

Malvara's eyes filled with tears she tried desperately to hold back. "Y-You still accept me. I-I'm so happy!"

"I will always be there for you if you need me. You need to understand that." Before I could stop myself, I wrapped my arms around her embracing her gently. I felt something fluttery in my heart when I touched her. She hugged me back, something I least expected her to do. Her skin still felt warm through my gloved hands. I didn't want this moment to end anytime soon.

_Yet she drifted from my grasp, but she still smiled in my direction. I took a step forward but she faded in the horizon. My eyes scanned my surroundings hoping to see her. She disappeared and in my heart, I felt empty. Something happened to her…yet I could not protect her. _

"_Don't follow me…"_

"_What are you talking about? I do not understand."_

_Dizzy and disoriented from so much happening at once, I found myself lose consciousness. _

_Where am I?_

Meta Knight's eyes slowly opened, awakening in a room with no light. He moved a little but found that he was restrained to the cold ground trying to sit up. A damp breeze swept across his face, startling him. He reached for his cheek instinctively to ensure he was still wearing his mask, but a sharp pain stopped him. Meta Knight looked down to see his hands restrained in handcuffs with spikes engrained into the sides. He winced at the small wound on his wrist, slightly bleeding.

The door opened slowly, Isaken entering smiling smugly. As if taking his time, his pace slowed down as he advanced towards Meta Knight. A chuckle escaped him; one of triumph.

Meta Knight glared at Isaken, full of hate and anger.

Isaken continued to laugh. "You appear more childish than intimidating. All this time, you hid your face and why is that? It's absolutely pathetic, trying to be strong and respected with a face like that. I detest adorable faces, like yours for example."

Meta Knight scowled, however it only made him look cuter than he already was.

"Answer this Meta Knightmare. Do you enjoy pain?"

He didn't answer but instead sent a glare in his direction, eyes red. Isaken, taking that as defiance, pushed a button on the wall. A moment later, the handcuffs tightened on his wrists, the spikes digging into Meta Knight's skin. Seeing his own blood on the ground repulsed him rather than appeal to his senses.

"From your expression, I can take that as a no then. You adjusted more than I thought. How hard this must be." Isaken carefully eyed Meta Knight's movements. "Hmmm, have you lost the urge to taste blood altogether? I would have assumed that about now, you'd give in. You're more corrupted than I gave you credit for."

"I swore that I would not become a monster," Meta Knight replied, struggling to keep his tone calm. The last thing he wanted was for Isaken to recognize any vulnerability; a weakness to manipulate to his advantage. "Living for the purpose of being a bloodthirsty killer was not my intentions, what I wanted to be. I was committed to repel the fate that Nightmare bestowed upon me as a demon. Yet you seemed more susceptible to your demon side than I had been. Exactly how did you become what you are now?"

"Simple. Tabuu created me for this purpose so without hesitation, I obeyed. However, you really think I had another choice? To do what? Be a traitor like you? Had I acted on a decision so imprudent, my life may have ended a long time ago. How you managed to outlive your kind, I don't understand. Doesn't four thousand years pass so quickly?"

"I…lived four thousand years?" Meta Knight felt breathless at the truth. He knew he lived for a long time but the realization of how much time passed took him off guard. "How…come I still live? Is there…something wrong with me?"

"I would be correct to say that your species has a long life-span. You would still live on for even longer, much." Isaken turned to the darkness. "You were meant to destroy those who opposed your creator. Therefore you would be needed to fulfill your purpose longer than the others. Genius, wouldn't you say?"

"Am I truly destined to be a monster? Must I live on for even longer?"

"Yes, to answer both of your questions. Now, if you would please follow me." The bonds loosened on Meta Knight's wrists allowing him to walk at least. He was careful not to move his wrists, still wounded from earlier. Isaken opened a creaky door and led him inside. In the dark room was a hard bed from what he could see in the dim lighting. "And yes, this room is under tight security. Do not even think of escaping."

Isaken released the handcuffs off of Meta Knight before leaving. He rubbed his sore wrists looking around to see if there were any bandages. As his hand reached for the cupboard doors, he heard footsteps in the corner. Meta Knight's hand lowered as he turned around to see if anyone was there. Cautiously he took a step forward. A gasp startled him and he put his hand to the hilt of his sword.

"Meta Knight, it's only me!" A familiar voice called out to him.

His hand released the sword, relaxing at his side. "Is…that really…you?"

**

"What do we do now?" Jigglypuff asked Snake as they proceeded down the hallway. "Do you think Tabuu knows we're here?"

"So far he is aware of Meta Knight being here but suspects we must have accompanied. We need to be very careful." Snake replied. "I am sure he must have sent someone or something to investigate."

"Meda Nigh," Kirby said sadly.

"I'm sure he is all right," Marth assured Kirby.

"He'll manage. Meta Knight's a strong warrior. He will be fine," Ike agreed. Kirby smiled; a sign he felt a little better than before. The halls were strangely quiet and so far, there were no signs of the other groups. Whether they had been discovered they didn't know.

Around the corner, Isaken watched with slight interest. "He's right. We did suspect you're here. And now I am certain I am correct." He hid in the shadows, unseen by the others keeping a safe distance behind.

"Kirby, what's wrong?" Jigglypuff asked when he stopped in place, holding an object. "What is that?"

When Kirby turned around to show the others, they gasped. "Is that Meta Knight's mask?" Ike asked him.

"Something must have happened to him," Marth said worriedly. "He would never go anywhere without his mask. We need to find where he is immediately."

Kirby continued to stare at the mask in his hands. He noticed a small stain on the side. "Meda Nigh…"

Jigglypuff took another look at the mask and gasped. "He's been hurt. There's blood, I think." She turned around and saw an army of monsters surrounding them towering over them. "Everyone, I think we're in trouble. We've been caught!"

"What?" Snake turned to see she had been correct and cursed under his breath. "This is not good."

"By the commands of Lord Isaken, you are to ordered to follow us or we'll take you by force," a monotone voice stated. "Not that he will harm you; you're not the ones he is after. Now if you please."

Isaken grinned triumphantly. "Tabuu, our forces found some of the intruders. I did say there were others here. What did you have in mind for them?"

"You will have to wait and see," Tabuu replied. "I'm sure you will have no objections. About that time, we will have mutated the perfect demon. How conveniently everything is turning out." Both of them laughed together in the darkness. Now that their plan finally started coming together, victory would soon be in sight.

"I've been waiting for this moment forever," Isaken whispered to himself.

"_My name is Isaken. All I request is a place to stay temporarily." By then, his appearance became visible to the others. His height passed that of Marth's by an inch and his black bangs hung over his forehead. His light and piercing blue eyes stood out against his pale skin. His attire included a dark blue tunic, pure white pants and jet black boots. Faintly at the left side of his face, a nearly invisible scar could be seen. _

_Meta Knight turned around, noticing Malvara had frozen completely. "Is something wrong?"_

_Malvara stared at the ground, avoiding his gaze. "No, I am fine. Let's go to bed and be quick about it."_

"All those months, I had to be patient. Now that those days are gone, I will not hold back. Either Malvara will comply or die." Isaken walked into the darkness. At most, in twelve hours, the wait would be over and everything will occur as destined. _  
_


	11. Dark Void of Loss

Dark Void of Loss: Chapter Eleven

Meta Knight sheathed his sword, looking again at the figure in front of him. He blinked, making sure his eyes were not deceiving him. After he could form a complete sentence clearly, he spoke up. "Is that truly you Malvara?" Surely that could not be the truth. He had been certain they would have permanently been separated, never to see each other again.

"Yes, I'm right here." Malvara replied, holding his hand despite the blood on them from his wrists. "What happened to you Meta Knight? You're hurt. And where's your mask?"

Meta Knight felt along his cheek and noticed the absence of the metal on his face. "…I don't know. After Isaken discovered me, I never saw it since."

"Isaken found you?" She sounded upset at the fact. "Are the others here?"

"Yes, we all came to rescue you," he replied. "But I fear that Isaken knows the other Smashers are here. He didn't think I would come alone."

Malvara looked down. "You all shouldn't be risking your lives for my sake. I'm sorry for putting us all in danger."

"We _want_ to rescue you. You do not deserve to be in a place like this, rather you belong at the Smash Mansion." Meta Knight gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I promise we will get you out of here safely. I…was really worried about you…Not being with you made me anxious."

Malvara hugged him tenderly. "I thought I never would have seen you again, but you're here. Are you sure you are all right? When Isaken brought you in here, you were hurt."

"I'm fine. He didn't harm me much. I'm more concerned about you however. Isaken hurt _you_ badly yesterday." Meta Knight looked carefully at her wrist which had been injured like his was. Malvara turned away.

"I'm really sorry. It must be so hard on you, seeing me like this. The blood…" She trailed off but Meta Knight gently stroked her cheek. Surprised, she looked into his eyes and saw his expression serious.

"Blood does not bother me as much now. I swear I will not hurt you." Invitingly his arm lingered around her shoulder. Malvara leaned in closer, her cheek resting against his shoulder plate. Even with the slight scent of blood about his wrists, it didn't faze her as much as she first anticipated. Her feelings overpowered the urge to be a monster. She closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the warmth of his skin. Her eyelids opened, Meta Knight's face an inch away from hers.

Her heart almost performed summersaults at such a small distance. It felt like it was more than a day or two since they last spent time together. Malvara wanted so badly to kiss him again and Meta Knight seemed to understand.

"This may be the last time we spend together," she told him, tone sad. "Let's make this last, all right? In case, my life can't?" Meta Knight nodded, lips stroking against hers. Normally he would have responded to that question but the moment distracted him too much. The excitement that spread throughout Malvara's body, increased her heartbeat. Love was the most powerful emotion she ever experienced and realizing this may be the last kiss she would share, Malvara unleashed as much passion as possible. Meta Knight did the same, his tongue exploring in her mouth, savouring the sweet cherry flavour.

Malvara opened her eyes halfway. Her heart rate continued to increase seeing Meta Knight's cuter expression. His cheeks seemed to illuminate whenever he blushed, especially at that moment. His skin felt considerably warmer against hers. "I love you," he said, hiding his face against her shoulder. "When this is all over, we'll be together. Even after this tournament ends, I'll still be at your side…forever."

"That means a lot to me. It really does." Malvara looked into Meta Knight's eyes. "…But what if I don't make it out of here alive? What if I was to die in the process?" Her expression showed both a mixture of pain and anguish.

"I will protect you. You will survive." Meta Knight looked towards the door, still holding her hand. "Please don't think like that…it hurts me so much. If you died, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." His hand gently released from her grasp and he unsheathed his sword, aiming it towards the door.

"Meta Knight, what are you doing?"

"Escaping. Stay back," he warned her, the cape transforming into his wings. For the first time, he allowed himself to use the true power kept inside him. Faster than the speed of sound, Meta Knight brought his sword down to break the door. He stood still for a moment, trying to recover. Malvara kept quiet, not knowing what to say, but held his hand which he allowed. A moment later, he maintained a secure grip on her arm ensuring she would not get separated from him. "Unless I say so, do not let go."

"All right," she said, voice shaky. In a rush, they both ran down the hallway. The only noises in the hallway were their footsteps from running so fast. No other form of life lurked about as the hallways faded as a distant blur behind them. Hastily, Meta Knight pressed the elevator button. A few anxious moments of silence passed before he attempted activating the elevator again.

In more of panic, he slammed his hand against the button. Red letters scrolled horizontally across the monitor saying, "THIS AREA IS OUT OF ORDER. TRY AGAIN LATER." Meta Knight cursed under his breath, too silent for the words to be made out. Malvara clutched onto his arm tightly, literally shaking.

"Do not worry. We will be all right." Meta Knight assured her, hoping that would be the truth. The lights flickered before burning out, the only source of light being the glow from Meta Knight's eyes.

"Meta Knight, I'm scared," Malvara said in barely a whisper. He held her close to him, frightened as well. She felt the tremor in his body; a sign he felt the same as she did.

The hallway brightened to a shade of red, occasionally darkening to a burgundy once in a while. Around the corner stood Isaken eying the two carefully, almost in a glare. His hand carefully held his chain, hovering in mid-air, defying the laws of gravity. "I never expected to see you escape in such short time, but in the end, it doesn't really matter. I see now mutation will not be necessary." He aimed the chain like he was about to strike. "No. Instead, I've come to the conclusion that you will never be a success but cursed to be a failure. Death is inevitable, isn't it? Surprising how quick it can come. Malvara, you always surprised me. How you managed three thousand years I will never know."

Malvara glared. "Why can't you accept me the way I am? If I am so useless, the least you can do is leave me be. It's because I could endure every day of my life being nothing but a research specimen that I managed to live on. You gave in to your demon side Isaken but I will not repeat your mistake."

"It is because I sided with Tabuu that I am highly acknowledged as a worthy demon; unlike you who mean nothing, no worth whatsoever. See the difference?" Isaken looked her in the eye. "Your scars prove your impudence."

"I-I don't know w-what you're talking about," Malvara denied, attempting evasive action.

"For as long as I can remember, you have always hid that part of your face underneath your bangs. Has shame truly directed that decision?" Isaken smirked. "I may add that they suit you: ugly, disgusting, atrocious."

Malvara glared menacingly in his direction. "_**Never say that!!!**_" She hissed. "_**You've done nothing but treat me like crap ever since I was created. I really want to kill you right now, to make you suffer, endure the same pain I experienced.**_"

"Is that really the proper way to treat your brother?" Isaken questioned, eyebrows raised in a mixture of amusement and humour.

"B-Brother?!" Malvara practically shrieked the word, comprehending his question with disbelief. "You cannot be my brother! I refuse to believe that! You must be lying, there's no other…"

"Must I explain this to you?" With an exaggerated sigh, Isaken continued. "Tabuu created us both at the same time, with the same demon, therefore making us twins. Yes, it was exactly three thousand years ago…"

_Tabuu stood at the lab table waiting impatiently for his new demons to be "born." In total, he had to endure a hundred years waiting for the perfect demon to be made. Once in his possession, he scheduled for it to be divided into two separate beings. The demon infused into the two puffballs attempting to change them to newborn monsters. So far his plan succeeded exactly as he expected. _

_Tabuu's continuous success was not to be. He began to arrange training for the newborn monsters. The first day, they were learning quickly; faster than he had predicted. However, within the next few days, one resisted him, and the demon inside; the one he called Malicious Vampire. The other one, Isaken, possessed more power; power in which he feared could easily be turned against him and may destroy Subspace. _

_I was the one whose powers may be too great. I must have been chained to the ground, restrained so I would not unleash what potential I had yet to develop. I suffered for years until I found a way to escape. Nightmare's forces tortured me, left me scarred, never once releasing me from the same chains restricting my very movements. They taunted me and each second, I desired to kill them, to drink their very blood and force them to take back every hurtful thing they ever did to me. _

"I swore the day I escaped from Nightmare, I would use the same chain that restrained my power to kill anyone who opposed me." Isaken continued. "Who were they, petty failures? I was convinced Nightmare always made failures; none would live once I was through. You surprised me Meta Knight, when I first saw you at the Smash Mansion. Everything worked according to plan. Both you and Malvara were where I wanted you to be. With my power, I can easily kill both of you at once. Two birds, one stone, see?" He lifted his chain, ready to strike.

Holding Malvara's arm tightly, Meta Knight ran past Isaken before they could be attacked. Isaken grinned; he still had a chance. The chain reversed directions and aimed directly at Meta Knight's foot, creating a deep cut. He fell but managed to release Malvara beforehand. The chain swept passed the wall sending a few bricks flying in his direction. One landed on Meta Knight's injured foot, crushing it. He bit his lip, stifling back a gasp of agony. Malvara hurried over to his side in a heartbeat.

"Are you all right?" She asked, voice higher pitched from hysteria. Her stomach turned seeing the blood from the injury.

"I'm fine…" He held onto her, and tried to stand up. Isaken aimed his chain at the ceiling and the rubble landed in between the two, separating them. The chain then circled around Meta Knight's body and threw him at the wall. His vision spun, he couldn't think straight, the impact greatly affecting his mind.

Isaken brought down the chain to kill Meta Knight. He would the first to die. However, Malvara happened to glance up and see the upcoming blow. _"No, not Meta Knight." _She stood and used the last of her strength to jump in the way of the attack.

Inside she felt light; excited that risking her life would save the one she loved. Malvara smiled thinking about it. At the moment, her mind didn't comprehend the consequences: as long as Meta Knight was safe…Then the pain struck her, the agony surprisingly bearable. She felt somewhat numb until the chain sliced her across the face, severely injuring her. Her bangs had been cut off in the process, showing the other half of her face covered in scars. Startling her was the fast rate the blood flowed from her injury; she smiled, it not mattering to her anymore.

Meta Knight didn't share the same emotions. His eyes widened, horrified by the sight of her covered in blood; the same images he feared. She slowly fell to the ground, only to be supported in Meta Knight's arms. The realization of her actions sunk in, seeing the agony and sorrow in his eyes appearing almost watery. He bit his lip so he wouldn't cry; he knew by a glance the injury was life threatening: fatal.

**

"_What is your name?" the Master Hand asked her as the others were heading up to their rooms. _

"…_Malvara."_

"_Could you please escort Malvara to your bedroom Meta Knight?" the Master Hand asked him._

_I nodded in reply._

"_Would you prefer to eat in the bedroom today?" the Master Hand said, turning to Malvara. "It will be crowded at the cafeteria, being the first day of the Tournament and all."_

_Malvara nodded. "Thank you."_

_The Master Hand turned to me afterwards. "After you show her the way to the bedroom, could you bring Malvara her dinner?"_

"_Yes."_

_**_

_Malvara's awe never stopped seeing the ground become a distant shadow up in the sky. The beautiful sight amazed her to no end and she pondered what this would look like if it was sunset. Beautiful indeed. A sigh of content escaped her by instinct._

_"Amazed?" I said to her. She turned to see me gazing at her from the steering wheel. "Have you not seen something like this before?"_

_"I haven't…Wow, I never thought flying would be this relaxing," Malvara replied, now smiling a little. "How often do you do this?"_

_"Flying the Halberd? To be honest, I cannot remember how long exactly, but I know for certain it has been years."_

_**_

_The bus slowly began to drive down the road once that was done and out of the way. Most of the Smashers spent their time talking. Myself and Malvara were the only ones silent. Malvara never saw a bus before and the experience was exciting her. She watched the Smash Mansion fade from the distance and out of sight._

_I never saw a bus either, but I kept my gaze at the floor not looking up. I leaned against the side of the bus almost falling asleep._

_As the bus turned a corner of a highway, Malvara became concerned. "Are you feeling all right?"_

_"It's nothing serious," I said, voice barely audible. "I'm fine."_

_"Is it…motion sickness?"_

_I sat up slowly and turned to face her. "You…knew?"_

_"If you are not feeling well, you don't have to hide it. If you need to rest, go ahead." At that, I smiled behind my mask and leaned against the pillow. Malvara felt relieved seeing my eyes dim down indicating I was asleep._

_**_

_"Thank you for understanding how I feel," I said, in a gentle manner instead of defensive like she anticipated. Then my eyes flashed green, startling Malvara. "What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing, nothing at all!"_

_An awkward silence endured for a moment before she spoke up again._

_"To be honest, I was startled because I thought your eyes changed colour…I saw that happen before a few times, but I never understood what that meant." She trailed off. "I sounded so stupid just now. He can read my mind, I know he can."_

_"I suppose it would be correct to say my eyes change colour when I feel certain emotions. As to what each colour means, you will have to figure that out for yourself."_

_"I know red means anger," Malvara said, and in response, I smiled._

_"There are still much you have yet to figure out." From my tone, my mood seemed to have considerably brightened._

_"Meta Knight," Malvara began as they were getting into bed._

_"Yes?"_

_"I promise we will get revenge on Dedede. I'll help you in any way possible." She heard me chuckle from the other side of the room. It pleased her to hear that._

_"Thank you."_

_"And…"_

_"Hm?"_

_"After breakfast, could you help me learn how to fight? Not that I will be participating in any brawls, but for safety," Malvara explained._

_"That should not be a problem."_

_"It means…a lot to me. Thanks so much!"_

_**_

_"So, Halloween is only three days away?" I said from behind the group. They turned around to see that me appeared out of no where. "Why does everyone seem so frightened?"_

_"You shouldn't really sneak up on others like that you know," Malvara replied, the others nodding in agreement. "Especially at a time like this."_

_"Hmmm, do you perhaps anticipate that Ness is not the only one practicing for Halloween?" Several nods answered his question. And to my surprise, Lucas pointed towards me._

_A sudden realization dawned upon Malvara as something very surprising finally became understood. She blinked for a moment now knowing she was not dreaming, but this was a reality. "You're participating in Halloween?" She asked quietly. The shock became mutual, except for me, who laughed._

_"Why not? I would also wish to enjoy Halloween." I had two intentions for the upcoming holiday: to scare other unfortunate Smashers in the Haunted House and to score some candy; something I had a soft spot for. I found it too difficult to resist an opportunity of collecting candy so participating would be best._

_"Uh, you're scaring me," Lucas said, taking a step backwards._

_"Then I suppose that will make my job easier," I replied, eyes briefly glowing pink._

_**_

_"Ah, no…Thanks for your concern." Malvara tried to fake a smile. "So, how was your bath?"_

_"Very relaxing. What have you been doing during that time?" Her grin faded._

_"Something…personal, nothing you'd want to know." She hoped that I would understand the hint. My reaction told her I did, but my curiosity caused me to ask further._

_"Is something wrong? You seem warmer than usual." I took off a glove and placed my hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. I felt her blush, skin feeling warmer on my hand. I chuckled. "You seem rather embarrassed about something, it would seem. If you feel that uncomfortable, I understand." I put my glove back on._

_Malvara couldn't speak. It was the first time I purposely came into contact with her. She forced herself to say something so I wouldn't worry. "Thank you. I'm fine, really. We'll, I better be going. Important business, very urgent."_

_I smiled, knowing that wasn't true, but let it pass. "All right then."_

_**_

_"You never learned how to dance," she whispered with understanding. "For your first time you did well. You learned a lot by watching how the others did it."_

_This was the first time I heard her not asking a question when she suspected an answer. Maybe she understood me more than I thought. "You learned from the lessons yesterday. Might I say you were very graceful."_

_"You knew I took lessons? You eavesdropped?"_

_"I wouldn't say 'eavesdropped.' More out of curiosity. You disappeared all morning."_

_Malvara smiled. "...True. If you vanished all the sudden, I'd consider that normal."_

_"Do I really disappear that much?" Amusement coloured my tone, erasing the chagrin that had once been in its place. I turned around, holding her hand. "The dance is ending. Shall we share one more before supper?"_

_"Yes. Slow dancing if course! She gave my hand a gentle squeeze before returning to the dance room._

_**_

"_Yes, thank you so much for your kindness." I relaxed in her arms, breathing in and out deeply. Her presence soothed me and it sent chills of pleasure throughout my body. "Don't let go," I whispered to her. _

"_I won't." She leaned closer to me, one of her hands settling on my mask. My heart threatened to stop from shock at the touch. "I understand how much you hurt and I feel so sorry for you. You mean a lot to me Meta Knight. From now on, I'll try to ease your pain."_

"_I...want to be freed...Hiding my emotions behind a mask is awful Malvara. I really want to be open with you, like that day after Christmas. How good it feels to tell your feelings to someone you trust."_

"_You will be free, I promise," Malvara assured, her hand grasping of the supports on my mask. My heart rate increased when the mask loosened. Slowly and gently, she slid it off, revealing my cute Kirby-like face once again. _

_Happiness bubbled inside of me, threatening to overwhelm my senses. I felt as though the façade hiding my true emotions shattered. The urge to be myself came out and I accepted it with open arms. One of my gloved hands reached towards Malvara's cheek and stroked it, my face coming closer to hers. _

_Everything faded, all becoming darkness. My love was dying and she slowly vanished. In my heart, I felt empty; I was missing a part of me that died with Malvara. _

"_Why do people care? Caring causes us pain and agony." _

_I closed my eyes, wishing this would end…Each second is harder to endure. _

Isaken chuckled, his chain hovering to his side. "There is no hope for your girlfriend, I am afraid. Why is that? You failed to protect her and her death was the price for that mistake."

Meta Knight placed his hand over Malvara's wound, trying to stop the flow of blood and at the same time abstain from having a breakdown. His eyes were purely red, wings replacing the cape on his back. Tightly, he grasped Galaxia in his hand, wanting to kill Isaken.

"Hmmm, how amusing. In your own anger, you're willing to throw your life away just to kill me…" He grinned smugly, Meta Knight about to bring down his sword when the ground rumbled.

"What is this?" Isaken asked with annoyance.

"SELF DESTRUCT INITIATED. AREA SCHEDULED FOR DESTRUCTION IN FIVE MINUTES."

Isaken cursed. "How is that possible? Who could have done that?! Nevertheless, you are going down with me!"

Meta Knight unleashed a Sword Beam, but he specifically aimed it at the ground rather than Isaken. He opened his mouth to comment when the floor beneath him crumbled taking him down into the deep abyss below. He glared hatefully at Meta Knight before he was completely out of sight. Meta Knight's attack left the wall damaged too, providing an escape route. He carefully took Malvara in his arms and used his wings to fly them both outside the facility.

He hoped the others were all right. They had done so much for him; he hoped they made it out safely. The Halberd was in sight and the doors opened for him. Meta Knight felt relieved seeing all the Smashers there and from the expressions on their faces, he knew they felt the same way towards him. They changed to shock when they saw that he didn't have his mask on.

"What happened to your mask?"

"Nevermind that," Meta Knight replied, evading the embarrassment of everyone seeing his face. His expression hardened. "Malvara has been severely injured. She needs treatment immediately." Many gasped at Malvara's condition. Snake mumbled something under his breath and alerted the nurse to come right away.

"Are you sure you shouldn't be treated Meta Knight? You're wounded too," Zelda said to him.

"No, I'm fine. Right now, you need to worry about Malvara. Understood?"

"You can barely walk," she pointed out. Meta Knight glanced down at his foot; the one that had been crushed, red tinted from the blood. He bit his lip and looked away. The injury had been worse than he thought.

"Malvara needs help at the moment." He spoke firmly with no hesitance. "I can manage."

The nurse took Malvara from Meta Knight's arms and brought her to the hospital. The other Smashers followed, Meta Knight using his wings instead of walking. He kept an eye on her, hoping she would somehow make it. The nurse carefully placed her on a bed and bandaged the wound to prevent any more blood loss. She analyzed Malvara's current condition to find out how severe the wound was. The nurse sighed and looked down at the ground.

"How bad is she?" Jigglypuff spoke up seeing as Meta Knight was too worried to say anything.

"As I feared, the injury is close to the brain; fatal. There is no guarantee she will live but we will do our best to help her recover." Meta Knight's eyes widened, horrified. He could lose someone else close to him and it continued to tear at his heart. He realized the rapid moisture in his eyes and he turned away from everyone's sight.

"May I be excused?" Meta Knight asked, voice shaky. The nurse nodded and he left as soon as possible. He flew to the piloting room to be alone, by himself. He closed his eyes trying to push the tears back. They betrayed him, trying to surface. He attempted every method to calm himself that came to mind, each bringing him more on the verge of crying.

His eyes burned from holding back the tears and a few flowed down his face, to his irritation. He shouldn't be crying at a time like this. He didn't have an emotional breakdown since his previous lover died in the war. The memories forced more tears and eventually he gave up and let them stream down his cheeks. He took off his gloves stained from blood and wiped them away hastily. As he reached again to wipe more away, Meta Knight felt a familiar pink stubby arm.

"K-Kirby?" He said, trying to speak calmly. "I-Is that you?"

"Poyo? Meda Nigh sad…" Kirby hugged him, gentle so he wouldn't hurt him.

Meta Knight smiled through his tears. "I apologize Kirby. I normally am not like this."

"Understandable, poyo," Kirby carefully pronounced the syllables properly with the little English he managed to learn. "…Meda Nigh hurt…"

"I'm fine Kirby. I am all right."

"That's where you went," came Ike's voice as he and the others came into the room. Meta Knight looked up, forgetting to dry any remaining tears on his face. If he had, the others still would have known he had cried; his eyes were tinted light pink at the bottom. No one made fun of him and when he was about to stand, they carried him to a sofa.

"You're injured and you've been through a lot. You need a rest and treatment," they told him when he squirmed in their grasp. He stayed perfectly still while the nurse bandaged his wounds on his foot and wrists. There were a few cuts along his face, but not severe. The nurse simply used disinfectant to clean them. She urged him to rest until he got better, then left him be.

The Smashers stayed, which confused Meta Knight. He didn't know why they didn't leave. For them to be that concerned touched him.

"Is something wrong? Kirby told us he sensed something was bothering you." Meta Knight looked up to see Kirby with a concerned look on his face. He sighed, not sure if he should tell or internalize.

"No one would understand," he answered evasively, hoping they would drop the subject.

"Maybe we can, maybe we can't. Either way, holding in your feelings will only make you feel worse. Even if we do not understand, we can empathize," Jigglypuff replied.

"I suppose that is true. I warn you now, if I was to tell you what was concerning me, it might surprise you; perhaps change how you view me. Are you sure this is what you want?" They nodded, expressions serious.

"I lost someone close to me before back in the days I fought in the war as a Star Warrior. I fell in love, but when she died, I was depressed for years. When I arrived at the Smash Mansion as an official Smasher, I doubted leaving my home planet was worth it. But someone changed my mind…Malvara. I only grew more attached to her as the months passed by. I knew by experience I had fallen in love again. The guilt I felt when I first realized that was immense, nearly unendurable for my conscious. By New Year's, I accepted my feelings for Malvara. The thought of her hurt or dying frightened me. I do not know how I will manage if she was to die…" His voice became weaker as tears burned his eyes, again betraying him. "Both times I fell in love, they sacrificed themselves for my sake and I am not sure whether it was worth it. I should have been in their place."

"Sorry…" Meta Knight said when a tear rolled down his cheek. Kirby snuggled up to his side and used his stubby arm to dry his face of the tears that kept coming. "It is weak…to cry."

"No it's not. There's nothing to be ashamed of; it's understandable." Jigglypuff objected.

"I am happy…you understand how I feel." He paused for a moment, before he forced a small smile. "Now where was I before I was so emotional?"

The smile faded as he spoke again, suddenly finding it easier to trust the others, seeing as they were very concerned about him. "I thought I should have been in their place because I was not worth their sacrifices. I…was created as a demon, a purpose being to destroy Malvara, the second to be a bloodthirsty killer." Sadness rang out in his tone with every word he spoke. "I trained myself to resist blood for years but sometimes it is not easy. Seeing the blood spill when Malvara was injured…It took everything not to lose control on the spot. I promised myself not to be a monster from the first week of my life, four thousand years ago."

"F-Four…"

"Thousand,"

"YEARS?!" Everyone blurted out.

Meta Knight nodded, shifting awkwardly on the sofa. "My species has been cursed to a long lifespan. In human years, my age would not be significantly high. I am not sure of the specifics but at this rate, I could live on for another thirteen thousand years. It is awful sometimes, outliving those you love and care for." His eyes flashed grey for a moment. "Four thousand years being a demon; one that could not save Malvara when he had the chance."

"Meta Knight, we're sorry." Zelda said, sad for him.

"We never knew you suffered so much. To be honest, we misjudged you the first day you arrived to Super Smash Brothers Brawl. We apologize for that," Marth spoke up.

"Do not be…None of you should dwell over me, please don't." His voice sounded tired, exhaustion settling into his being. A second later, a high pitched yawn escaped him, enhancing his adorable features. There were a few "awwws," and Meta Knight blushed. He hid his face in the cushions, careful on his injuries. Everyone seeing his red cheeks was the last thing he wanted.

Kirby handed him a blanket and Meta Knight smiled; the first real smile anyone saw on his face.

"Thank you Kirby." He leaned against the cushions and closed his eyes, sleep coming easier than he imagined possible. The moment his eyes closed all the way, he slipped into unconsciousness, hoping Malvara would survive.


	12. Final Trials

Final Trials: Chapter Twelve

"_You caused that. It would be even worse to deny the horrid actions in which you committed. No matter, you only helped me in the end in a goal I didn't expect you to accomplish so soon. I assure you, your future will never be the same again."_

_No, I cannot stand this anymore. A loud scream of agony echoed from the room in which I was forced to watch the most horrific scene of my life. The voice sounded like my own; my last cry of pain and sorrow I will ever express again._

_What have I done? What…have I done?_

"_Your duty, one in which there's no shame. You will realize why in time."_

_I managed one more tear before turning away to look into the darkness, equivalent to what my heart was to become. _

"_I'm…I'm…a…"_

"_Meta Knightmare, the sooner you accept your fate as a demon, the better off you will be. Had you not fell in love, Malvara may still be alive. You failed to protect her and I thought you were supposedly the strongest demon."_

"_I do not want this anymore!" I screamed from rage, tears burning my eyes. "I tried...I tried to protect Malvara..."_

"_A rather pitiful one from my perspective. No matter, everything went as planned. Now are you ready to return to the darkness?"_

"_No! Make this stop! I can't stand this anymore!" I literally shook with anger and defeat. _

"_If you want all this to end, you must heed my words and follow whatever instructions I give you. Understood? I promise all this pain and regret will vanish. No more pain. No more regret..."_

"_Yes," I reply in a small voice. It lost its strength from shouting and my throat tightened from the agony and pressure on my vocals. _

"_This requires for you to leave your friends. You are only allowed to come alone, no exceptions. Surely the Halberd has an escape hatch somewhere, right? All you have to do is fly east; it will not take long to reach your destination: the Tower of Trials."_

"_The Tower of Trials...all right then. But can I do one last thing first? I need to leave behind a message saying farewell if that is not too much trouble."_

"_I do not see why not. How touching; a final farewell. Go ahead but I'll expect you to be there in three hours, no more. That's plenty of time."_

"_Very well then."_

_**_

Meta Knight awoke, heart beating fast. He used his hand to wipe the sweat on his forehead. _"It was only a dream…there is no Tower of Trials, no farewell." _

"_Would you like to explain that conclusion?" _a voice vividly spoke in his mind. _"This is real Meta Knightmare. Until you fulfill your word, I will continue to exist in your mind."_

"Who are you?" He whispered making his way to the piloting room. From the faint glow of the stars outside the window, the current time was approximately three in the morning. He pressed the circular button and pressed **LEAVE A MESSAGE. **He typed in a fast and to the point letter and clicked on **OKAY.** The message screen kept flashing; there's no way the Smashers could overlook that.

Afterwards, he opened the entrance door quietly so he would not wake anyone up. He took one last glance behind him before he allowed his cape to transform into his wings. With no hesitance, he flew from the Halberd.

The ground below him became distant as he ascended higher up into the sky. The objects below were barely visible; the only the mere blurry images seen through his eyes. He could see only ahead, his current destination, leaving everything behind.

He passed through the strong winds seemingly not having an effect on his flight. His mind was blank, no thoughts crossing his mind for the first time since he could remember in all the years he lived. The winds, he couldn't feel against his skin, which seldom occurred. Meta Knight continued to fly towards the tower in the distance hoping his questions will be answered of his concerns.

His altitude lowered upon reaching his destination. Where he ended up during his flight, he wasn't sure. All this increased Meta Knight's growing confusion. It is not like him to leave someplace behind and seek another location for no reason, let alone where he will be going.

As Meta Knight walked up to the dark entrance, his breathing slowed down rather than increase. He expected to be nervous, but inside there was no fear or doubt whatsoever. Deep down, he truly felt it, but something unknown restrained his emotions, perhaps an attempt to torment him to the point where he had to seek answers...

Like now. In this dark and unknown place, his desires are answers to why he changed so much. Even someone as antisocial as Meta Knight can become even lonelier. They could leave the others, supposedly like an only family he ever had.

Again, Meta Knight's vision blurred again, hindering what he could see ahead. Could these...be tears? Ones he refused to shed no matter the cost? He took a moment to recollect his thoughts before entering the mysterious tower. His only hopes were desires. Thoughts of the family he left behind gradually faded as the same unknown force restricting his emotions proceeded to his memories. Before Meta Knight was under control again, he forced to shed a tear, one that may be his last.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered, inaudibly.

"So, you seek the truth, or perhaps to be free? Such freedom cannot be granted to something like you. By now, I would expect you to be aware of that," a deep voice echoed through a dark room he suddenly found himself in.

"Freedom, I understand, I can never have. The truth is what I seek with hope that is not asking too much. If this is how it will always be, I want to know. I need to know what I will be facing," Meta Knight replied with firm and steady confidence. At a time like this, fear wasn't an option. The option is keeping calm and thinking with a calm mind.

"Ah, I see. Is the 'truth' really that important to you?"

"Very much so," he replied.

Instead of a verbal response, everything faded to black, almost like he was going through time or maybe even another location.

"Is this why you desire the truth so much," the figure said, motioning to the ground in front of him. As much as his emotions became restricted, he found it horrifying.

"...Why?" was all he could manage. Then his voice would work for him no longer.

"Hmmm, you did take this more seriously than I anticipated. Nevertheless, that would count as a bonus. In regards to your question, the answer lies in front of you. How deeply affecting this is, yet how satisfying."

Meta Knight glared, turning away from the revolting sight in front of him. If he gazed in that direction any longer, he would literally be sick.

"And to think, this happened by your own hands. You, yourself caused that."

"No, it could not have been me...There's no way..."

"Do you know where we are Meta Knightmare?" the same voice asked him.

Meta Knight glanced back to the scene in front of him. Surroundings black, it occurred to him. His memories; this was a test. Someone was tampering with his memories and to realize his weaknesses were being manipulated against him was infuriating. "How could you…!"

"That does not answer my question," the voice replied.

"My memories," he said, glaring. "Altered."

"Correct. Might I say I am surprised you arrived much earlier than I expected. Very good." Meta Knight's surroundings returned to normal, back in the Tower of Trials.

"Show yourself!" Meta Knight shouted, eyes red.

"Fine then." From the darkness, the figure hovered into Meta Knight's view. His eyes widened; he knew the voice sounded familiar but to see him face to face sent a shiver down his back.

"…Tabuu?" Meta Knight took a step back, clearly remembering their first encounter.

"That's right. I was beginning to wonder when you would realize that. No need to reintroduce ourselves am I correct?"

"You created Malvara," he replied with no hesitation. He recalled those memories immediately. Not that he'd be able to forget them anyway. "And Isaken; from the same demon."

"It seems you are better informed than I thought. That's good to hear. Isaken was always one to make his point clear. Now, you came here to wish away the pain, the regret? Has depression made you suicidal?" Tabuu turned around to face Meta Knight. "Or did you come here to avenge Malvara? Seeking revenge? Either way, it's hopeless. You wouldn't have a chance coming alone, abandoning the others with no regard to your whereabouts."

"That's what you told me to do. It was an order."

"Ah yes, I did say that. Did it perhaps cross your mind that if you obeyed my every command, your demise inevitability would result? Hmmm, maybe depression is causing you to become suicidal. Do you serve a purpose in life now? All you've done was fail and abandon your 'family' so to say. Who'd accept you now?"

"You…took advantage of my pain all this time." At the truth, Meta Knight felt completely alone. No one knew where he was; he didn't verify his location in the message he typed aboard the Halberd. To fall for something so obvious amidst the blindness in his depression made him ashamed. He felt like an idiot.

"How does it feel? To be manipulated, taken advantage of?"

"What's it to you!?" The shout sounded nothing like himself; more like a growl, more like…

A monster, a pitiful helpless demon in the clutches of death.

"Do you like pain Meta Knightmare?" Tabuu asked. Their surroundings darkened, memories replaying themselves before his very eyes.

_She disappeared before his very eyes and he whirled around frantically, eyes searching for her silhouette. Taunting laughter filled the area which he discovered, was a forest. He opened his mouth to speak when a wave of water headed towards him and he braced himself for the impact. _

_He opened his eyes to see myself alone at a lake, the water black rather than clear. He saw his evil reflection in the unmoving waters with shock and fear. Somehow, he got the vibe this meant something frightening was to come._

"_How do you like your new form Meta Knightmare_?" _a strange, menacing voice asked him._

_He glared up at his creator who was holding __**her**__ in that ghastly grip of his. He growled threateningly, demanding he let her go._

"_She has no meaning to you now…Now that you've become what you are meant to be…Without hesitation, you must obey my ever command with no resistance."_

_He said no loudly, defiantly. He didn't have to serve this horrible purpose of being a monster. Nightmare would have to understand and accept that about him. Being loyal to someone like him was not on his priorities._

"_I thought for one moment that you would have been a success. Treason and betrayal need to be punished." He took him in his other hand, his claw-like fingers digging into his back. He felt liquid spread down his back which he realized with horror that it was his very own blood. His whole body burned from agony and the loss of blood._

"I-Is that…me…the past?" Meta Knight closed his eyes not wanting to see the vile images anymore. His back felt considerably twitchy, the scars reacting to the memories. His strength seemed depleted within the moment, leaving him weakened barely able to stand. He realized with horror his injuries still didn't recover fully.

"You truly acted recklessly. Weakened as you are now, you're merely at my disposal with no more purpose in life. How does that feel Meta Knightmare? Did you expect death to come so _soon_? Was four thousand years such a long wait?"

Meta Knight glared, eyes bright red. "You…you damn…heartless sadist."

"Hmmm, angered are we? Perfect." Footsteps echoed from behind Meta Knight, who turned around to see a familiar face…

**

_Was my life only for the purpose of serving Tabuu? Did I really want to do this anymore, to fight against the innocent?_

_Why had I been created? To spill blood, inflict pain, torture anyone who crosses my path into begging for mercy? Though I thought their expressions were priceless, they also found a way to my heart. Instead I felt disgusted at my actions._

_What was there to do? My hands clenched into fists. I knew what had to be done._

_I would oppose Tabuu, even if I die in the process. I'd rather die fighting for the right cause then kill innocent lives for no reason._

_**_

"Have any of you seen Meta Knight?" Jigglypuff frantically asked Toon Link, Ness and Lucas.

"No, we haven't seen him since bedtime."

The whole morning, the Smashers spent their time on the Halberd looking for him. They first entered the hospital room when they woke up and found his bed completely abandoned; rather the couch. The nurse told them the news, devastated.

"What could have happened to him?" Ike said, one of the few that had been outraged at Meta Knight's disappearance. "The last time we saw him, he was right there!"

"Poyo!" Kirby burst in the room, eyes filled with tears.

"Oh gosh Kirby, what happened?" Peach asked the crying puffball. Kirby said nothing in reply but continued to sob. He ran out of the room the others following behind in pursuit. Kirby stopped at the piloting room and opened the door. The message screen lit up with a letter.

"Look, there's a new message!" Ike pointed out.

"Oh my…Everyone, look at this!" Zelda said, pointing to the screen. Everyones jaws' dropped at the letter.

_Dear Family,_

_I apologize for leaving so suddenly, for my own reasons I decided to part ways with you. I considered this all carefully, and in my heart, I knew it was for the best that I go my own path and settle my own scores, battles of the past. _

_Please do not be angry with me. I had no other choice but to do this. You all were the closest members in a family I will ever have in my life. Thank you for being kind to me, though I hadn't done the same in return. When we first met, I know I came off as heartless, cold and for that, I am truly sorry. My whole life, I endured pain, torture. I lived with mistrust and the fear of being close to anyone. I may have been created to be no more than a demon, but I never wanted any of that. _

_I did care about you though I may not have shown it, and I still do. You taught me not to hide my heart, many aspects of life I never experienced before in my four thousand years. Even if we never see each other again, I always will be thinking about you and how kind you have been to me. Again, you have my gratitude._

_Do not worry yourselves over me any longer; I am all right now._

_Farewell,_

_Meta Knight_

Kirby began sobbing again and Peach comforted him in her arms. "This is awful…he left. He didn't tell us where he was going."

"He isn't all right. He's probably hurting still," Jigglypuff said, wiping away a few tears of her own. "'I knew it was for the best that I go my own path and settle my own scores, battles of the past.'" She quoted. "Knowing him, he may have left to seek revenge."

"Because of Malvara?" Ike questioned her.

"Malvara was the one he loved. That's probably the main reason why. Without her, he's depressed. I wished things didn't have to end this way."

Jigglypuff heard a quiet sob from behind them. "Neither did I. He's gone…It's my fault. Meta Knight thinks I died."

Everyone gasped. Behind them was Malvara, still injured, holding onto the chair for support, but _alive._ "Oh my gosh! You lived! We all thought you were dead!" Jigglypuff squealed in delight.

"Life wasn't ready to end for me. It's not my time to die yet." Malvara gazed at the rising sun. "Meta Knight is out there somewhere, but I know he's alive, but in danger. There's still hope…we will see him again."

The Halberd gave a sudden joint throwing everyone off balance. Malvara held onto the chair tightly landing on the cushion. "What's going on!?" could be made out among the voices of the Smashers.

Malvara hobbled to the controls and pressed a button. "Nothing here is working. Someone's hacked into the control system!"

"Just perfect," Ike said sarcastically.

"It's Tabuu's Subspace Army. He tracked us down and is planning an ambush," Snake said irritably. "He's starting to get on my nerves."

"No good," Malvara said. "The forces made it to the reactor. They're going to shut down the main power disabling the engines connecting every function of the ship."

"Translation?" Ike asked, clueless.

"We're going to crash."

"Oh we're going to crash…WAITAMINUTE! We're going to die!?" Ike responded.

"No! The others are doing what they can to hold the Subspace Army off. The least you could do is help them. Now go! The others need you! I'll stay here!" Malvara commanded. Ike nodded, obeying.

No matter what she did, the controls refused to comply. Aggravated, Malvara hammered down on one button and afterwards, it couldn't be pushed anymore; explanation: it was jammed. The Halberd lost altitude drifting downwards in the east.

Meanwhile at the reactor, a white sword plunged through the core; the battleship's nerve centre disabling everything. The Halberd descended towards the ground making contact with the ground below. The air was filled with dust and blowing dirt with the broken pieces of the ship chipped away from the rough landing.

Ganondorf smugly grinned in the distance watching the other Smashers panic. They were stranded in the middle of no where; exactly where he wanted them. He needed to report this immediately. The sooner the better.

**

"You still believe your friends will ever find you pathetic demon? You abandoned them. Why would they ever accept you now? Only to be stabbed in the back in their ignorance." Tabuu continued to torment Meta Knight mentally. He was shaking with anger and the fear that he would die painfully all alone.

Like a failure.

"_So...you're a demon beast? H-How is that possible? You cannot be a monster! I refuse to believe it..." _

_Meta Knight's expression became grim. "Didn't I warn you Malvara? You may have been better off not knowing."_

"That's right, at least half the truth. Malvara would probably still be living now, breathing, if she never met you. How unfortunate…such a beautiful girl to be lost by her love; one that was too weak to save her."

"S-Shut up! Just shut up!" Meta Knight hissed angrily, tightly closing his eyes, blocking out the images displayed in front of him. Maybe Tabuu was right. Death may be better for him than to continue on living in misery for another few thousand years.

The walls crumbled around them, and the front door fell to the cold, tiled floor with a soft thud. The Smashers hastily entered, weapons drawn. Tabuu viewed the disturbance with astounding shock. "How did you get here?"

"None of your business!" Jigglypuff snapped.

"Your game is over," Ike told him, glaring too. "You're outnumbered. We can easily defeat you." Each Smasher took a step forward but despite their vast courage, Tabuu was not intimidated in the slightest.

"Strength is not always in numbers. You seemed not to take that into consideration. You have _no idea_ who you're up against. I'm not alone, keep that in mind. Are you really deluded into believing you can take down _me _and _Subspace?_ Our facility may be no more but this tower is enough. We possess the power to take over the universe and now is the time. All of you can have the glory of seeing the worlds fall before your very eyes."

"I will not allow any of this to happen. We have to power to stop you," came a very familiar voice. Meta Knight immediately turned around disbelievingly.

"M-Malvara?!" He could barely pronounce her name right. Her eyes widened. Meta Knight stood before her, still alive…

"Meta Knight!" She ran towards him at full speed, nearly running over everyone else while doing so. He tightly embraced her, eyes burning with tears of happiness. Malvara held onto him tightly, cheek touching his. She felt a few tears drip onto her face and looked up shocked.

"I thought I'd never see you again." His voice shook from being very emotional but he didn't care. Malvara was secure in his arms, her silky hair against his face. Meta Knight leaned closer and placed his warm soft lips over hers. In front of everybody, he showed he had a heart. Despite being a monster, he still could love somebody he truly wanted to be with for the rest of his life.

"This is…outrageous. My very own creation in love with that vile…" Tabuu began to glow from anger, power building up inside himself. He would do anything to split those two apart.

"Meta Knight, Malvara, behind you!" an unusually frantic voice called out. They whirled around to the entrance, eyes widened. Several jaws gaped open. Everything twisted dramatically in the last few minutes bending in the Smashers' favour.

Malvara gasped, hand at her heart. "I-Is that you Isaken?!"

Isaken nodded, whipping out his chain. "Yes sister, I'm here. I heard from Ganondorf on the way here about Tabuu's intentions. Might I say, I am appalled! For three thousand years, I've been nothing but deluded, twisted into this form I bestowed upon myself as a demon." He pointed the chain at Tabuu. "You used both me and Malvara! I am ashamed to be your creation."

"_**You're betraying me?! You too?" **_Tabuu released the energy built up inside room, shaking the ground. "This has gone too far. I believed you to be a worthy demon; my successor and you have the _nerve _to betray me? No more mercy. All of you will die!"

Isaken turned to the Smashers. "You all need to leave this place now! There should be an escape route down there!" He pointed at the stairs. "Hurry, run now!"

"Isaken…I…"

"I'm so sorry Malvara. I wanted to be good but my demon…overpowered me. You won that battle, sister. You must live on. Go. The other Smashers are waiting for you!"

"I-Isaken…"

"I'm going to rectify what I've done, even if it means killing Tabuu once and for all. Go now! I'm sorry…that's all I can say right now. I don't expect you to ever forgive me…"

Malvara opened her mouth to speak when Meta Knight took hold of her by the arm and led her downstairs with the other Smashers. The ceiling crumbled as they passed underneath.

"This place is collapsing! We need to hurry! Tabuu is trying to destroy this tower as an attempt to kill us all," Malvara said frantically, holding tightly onto Meta Knight's arm.

The ground rumbled again, violently tossing everyone off the ground, slamming them into the wall. Meta Knight blocked Malvara from the damage, taking the blow while she still snuggled against him. He groaned, landing on the floor. The others were in the same state. The ceiling crumbled almost crushing the Smashers. They ran quickly, at the speed of sound. They made it outside, bruised and battered but alive.

The tower disappeared into nothingness, all rubble gone with it. The Smashers were certain the match was won; most of them. Meta Knight eyed its previous location suspiciously. "Something's not right. This isn't over yet…He's still out there."

"'Out there' I am. Glad you decided to stay for the feature presentation." Tabuu materialized in the air with Isaken in his grasp whose chain was impaled through his body. Horrified gazes glanced at the scene. It couldn't be…Isaken couldn't have been killed…

"_I'm so sorry Malvara. I wanted to be good but my demon…overpowered me. You won that battle sister. You must live on. Go. The other Smashers are waiting for you!"_

Tabuu dropped Isaken to the ground, weakening himself. Many gazed with confusion their enemies' sudden death.

"That is strange…What's happening to him?" Jigglypuff asked.

"Tabuu…has been defeated in the process. From the looks of it, both him and Isaken fought to the death, killing each other," Marth explained. Malvara gasped, hands over her mouth. Tears streamed down her face though she tried to hold them back. Meta Knight hugged her, sad as well. His hands stroked along her back, massaging it gently in small circles. She clung to him desperately and longingly.

"Oh Meta Knight, th-this is h-horrible. M-my brother…" She burst into hysterical sobs. He softly wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes. "Isaken…I forgive you."

Many watched with sympathy at the sad scene. Alone in an abandoned field, the Halberd inoperable, and someone dear dead protecting them in cost of his life.

Chuckling echoed from above; everyone's attention shifted to the darkened sky. Deep purple clouds covered the grey sky once there previously. Subspace armies formed with Ganondorf in the lead, sword drawn. "We arrived on time, didn't we? Perfect. Though I must apologize I missed the feature presentation."

Everyone glared, and Malvara still hung onto Meta Knight, terrified. He had his arm securely wrapped around her for protection.

"Oh, I suppose none of you have been informed of my little game. That's a shame really. Why the angry faces?" Ganondorf said amused by the Smashers' reactions.

"You…traitor!" Jigglypuff shouted.

"Traitor? Now that is amusing. What lead you to _believe _I was on your side to begin with? Just to be fair, why don't I explain the rules?" Ganondorf looked up at the darkened skies soon to be his new reign. "For my own amusement, I _dare_ you to try to defeat my new forces. If you lose, you all die and become my servants in your afterlife."

"You have to be joking!" Ike protested.

"To believe that, you are a fool. Now prepare yourselves. Enjoy your last moments of life." Crowds of Subspace monsters surrounding all the Smashers and for they fought back with all their strength. The only ones not involved were Meta Knight and Malvara, who took cover by the Halberd, still needing to recover. Malvara quietly sobbed onto his shoulder and he comforted her as best as he could.

Ganondorf raised a hand to call force more enemies to ambush the tiring Smashers. "I am the darkest soul to become the most powerful lord. Those who defy my reign shall die without a second thought."

"I fight for my friends. If you shall hurt anyone on my side, you'll perish with them," Ike shot back, sword raised.

Ganondorf laughed. "We'll see about that." He commanded another army but nothing happened. The clouds darkened to black and all the Subspace monsters changed their intended target to Ganondorf. He glared. "You're defying me? If you haven't forgotten already, your leader has been defeated at my hands, therefore you are at my mercy. Understand?"

"_We will have no mere mortal commanding us. When we unite, we will avenge our leader…"_

"Oh no! We have to do something!" Jigglypuff said to the others. "Even if it's Ganondorf, Subspace needs to be stopped. All together everyone! Let's do this."

**

_Time passed by slowly. I do not remember how long we had been fighting. It could have been days, hours or merely a few minutes. I lost track of time, like I had forgotten my own age._

_Meta Knight was at my side, supporting me when needed. When I was with him, I wasn't as scared._

_We had to win against Subspace. Otherwise, Isaken's death and sacrifice would be for nothing. If he still was alive, what would he have said or done? I never would know…another unanswered question._

_Subspace vanished over time, until the field was deserted, Ganondorf weakened. He would not be strong enough to oppose all of us now. Had we won? There was only one way to find out._

_**_

It seemed like hours before they opened their eyes. The sky cleared considerably showing clouds and sun. Everyone lay exhausted on the ground, breathing heavily.

"I-Is it over?" Jigglypuff said weakly.

"I think so," Zelda replied, sitting up. "We've won."

"Together," Marth and Ike added.

Malvara smiled. Her demon side did not feel strong anymore, but merely a pushover; no more sudden urges for blood and to strike out. She never imagined this would happen to her and the experience was overwhelming. Yet a frightening chill spread through her body. She turned and saw on last Subspace monster running in her direction, a blade aimed to stab. Malvara shrieked and everyone turned, gasping at the sight.

Meta Knight quickly got in the way of the attack by fast reflexes taking the stab. Everyone gasped, some screamed. Meta Knight simply pulled the blade out of his body, unsheathing his own. He impaled the attacker, ending its life. It slowly disappeared, ending the reign of Subspace for good. Meta Knight collapsed, holding his wound tightly which pierced below one of his cheeks. Malvara nearly burst into tears but remained calm and assisted the others in bringing him aboard the Halberd. Though the power was not working, the nurse managed to bandage his bruised and battered body.

The power, to everyone's surprise, turned back on. Snake came back into the room, grinning to himself. The whole time everyone had been gone he had been fixing the engine and controls and having coffee breaks.

"Meta Knight will survive," he reassured Malvara. "He's strong like that."

"_The Halberd took flight in the clear blue skies; a sign that Subspace would be no more. They won the battle. Peace will prevail and like Snake said, Meta Knight would recover from his injuries even if it will take a long time. By then I reflected on my experiences in the last year. I changed so much in personality. I never expected to be social to anyone, let alone fall in love. My life changed so much ever since I came to the Smash Mansion. The ones who were once strangers were now like my family and I know in my heart Meta Knight feels that way about them too. _

_His letter proved to me his feelings. I'll never forget my time at the tournament; there has to someway I can repay them for being so kind to me. Now that my demon side, the darkness within has been conquered, my life is taking a turn for the better. Times will be hard, I understand and accept that, and I know things will be better in the end. Nothing is forever except love. Love lasts after death and I could feel the presence of my deceased brother's spirit and I know he loved me._

_In the end, he won against his demon side even if it did mean death and his courage I'll remember for the rest of my life. You may have lost to your demon's temptations but Isaken, we will not forget you. Rest in peace brother and farewell, for now."_

"_We're back at the Smash Mansion. My life has just begun. There's more yet to come. If I could describe what my life was like coming here and how everything resulted in the end…I would call it…"_

_Conquering the Darkness Within. _


	13. Hopeful Hearts

_I'm feeling nice today so I'm updating again. Wow, this is the last chapter (but there's still bloopers). This has come a long way. Thank you so much for reviewing! (You know who you all are!) Bloopers will be up in a day or two, then this fanfiction is completed. Wow…I can't believe it's over._

_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1_

_**********************************************************_

Hopeful Hearts: Chapter Thirteen

Meta Knight awakened, eyes opening slowly due to the light. Once his eyes adjusted fully, he glanced to see that he was in the hospital room, in the Smash Mansion. He attempted to move but the pain stopped him. He saw he was bandaged in several areas of his body. To his surprise, Malvara stood beside his bed.

Malvara placed a hand on his shoulder, keeping him still. "Relax, Meta Knight…it's all right."

Meta Knight stared up at the ceiling, dazed and confused. "W-Where am I?" He trailed off, none of the words he spoken clearly.

"The hospital room, back at the Smash Mansion. You've been unconscious for a month but you needed the rest. You've been seriously injured. We were all worried about you."

"Injured…?" The memories flooded back into his mind; the research facility, Subspace, Isaken dying, Tabuu…even the stab in his cheek. He grimaced, taking notice of his wounds. He closed his eyes, sighing deeply. "I remember now. You were nearly stabbed…and I…"

"You saved my life risking yours in the process. Thank you so much," she replied gratefully.

"To see you alive still…I'm happy…" He gasped when he tried to move his hand. He glanced down to see an IV and looked away, disgusted. Moving his body hurt. Malvara gently put a hand on his shoulder, being careful with all the injuries.

"You need to be still. Try not to move around too much." When she spoke, Meta Knight noticed his armour had been removed and looked away, embarrassed.

"Has anyone visited the hospital room in the past month?"

Malvara nodded. "Everyone did."

Meta Knight looked down. "Did they…see my scars?"

Malvara hesitated for a moment then nodded without meeting his worried gaze. "They didn't laugh. Rather, they felt sorry for you."

"I do not want to be pitied," he replied, shifting awkwardly on the bed. "It makes me feel…self conscious and uncomfortable." He paused for a moment, the heat concentrating on his cheeks.

"We care about you Meta Knight and that's not ever going to change. There's nothing to be ashamed of." She gently touched his cheek, the one not injured, and leaned closer. Malvara lightly pressed her lips against his for a moment. "I love you," she whispered. Meta Knight looked into her eyes, blushing.

"I love you too," he replied. She leaned in again and they shared another kiss. If he wasn't injured, he would have hugged her, placed a hand on her cheek stroking the smooth texture.

The door opened and the two pulled away before anyone saw them kissing. The Master Hand entered first, accompanied by the other Smashers.

"He's awake!" Jigglypuff said, delighted, Kirby poyoing in agreement. He snuggled against his father figure, careful not to touch the injured parts of his battered body. Meta Knight pulled the covers over himself, preventing anyone from seeing him without his armour.

"I am fine," he said, embarrassment audible in his voice under the covers. "I am happy though…you all cared for me."

Malvara slowly pulled the covers away from his face. "Don't be afraid. No one's going to make fun of you." Meta Knight reluctantly looked up, fearing he was still blushing. As she said, no one laughed; instead they smiled.

"Glad you're starting to feel better," Ike said, Marth nodding.

"We've been so worried about you," Zelda added.

"All I have ever done was cause you worry-" He began.

"Don't say that!" Malvara said sternly, expression serious. "You saved my life. Without you, I would have been dead. Our family wouldn't be complete without you." Everyone nodded in agreement, except for Ganondorf but everyone ignored him. He never spoke to them since the Subspace incident, especially Link.

"Y-You mean t-that?" His modesty was getting the best of him; he knew for certain his cheeks were bright red. Meta Knight felt his eyes burn a little to his embarrassment. A year ago, he never would have acted like that but their concern and love made him soft; revealed his heart he forgot existed.

"You are very important to us." The sincerity in their voices showed their honesty. Despite his cold and uncaring behaviour at the beginning of the tournament, they forgiven him and overlooked that with understanding. His eyes burned with tears. He closed his eyes and lay down preventing everyone else from seeing.

It hardly made a difference as a few tears flowed down his cheeks. He hastily dried them with his hand but someone else' made it there first. Malvara stroked his cheeks. "Why are you crying?" she asked, acknowledging his tears.

"Nothing…sorry," he sighed. "Normally I don't get so emotional…I'm so happy."

"We all want you to be happy. You suffered enough." Malvara inched closer to his face. His heart rate erratically increased, the heart monitor beeping considerably faster. Her lips stroked his again and from the romantic contact, his face felt like it was on fire from blushing so much, each blending in to the previous one. His hand delicately touched her face before returning to his side.

"You should rest some more," Malvara said softly. "Your injuries hadn't fully recovered, some were fatal. You don't need to worry anymore. Tabuu is gone, I will always be here…Please get some sleep."

A high pitched yawn escaped past Meta Knight's lips. Malvara giggled.

"That's what I thought." She pulled the covers over his body. "Sleep well sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too…" His eyes slowly closed and he rested peacefully, breathing evenly. Her stomach flipped at the cute sight; Meta Knight always dazzled her, awake or not.

**

Their relationship strengthened over the next four months. They felt an unbreakable bond between them. Meta Knight and Malvara were inseparable most of the time. They did nearly everything together; eating meals, sleeping against each other, walking side by side…Meta Knight seriously considered marriage. The battle was over, won and their demon sides, no more.

His injuries recovered fully by April after two months in the hospital. Meta Knight's face had a couple more scars; one below his cheek and one above his forehead. He often wore his mask to cover them up. He knew for certain that no one would laugh at him, but exposing his face made him self conscious. Despite his occasional shyness, he sometimes kept the mask off, especially when Malvara persuaded him.

He sighed, glancing at the window one more time in his bedroom. In his cape, he fingered the wedding wristband carefully. Everyone was going to the beach; the temperature expecting to be about twenty eight degrees, suitable enough for sunbathing. The time there would last until sunset which Meta Knight believed was the best opportunity to propose.

Everyone stood in the main room, waiting for the trip to begin in five more minutes. The only one not present was Meta Knight, whom no one saw all morning. Every head turned in the direction of the elevator and gasps followed. Meta Knight entered, a shy smile on his face. He only wore his shoulder pads and cape, the biggest surprise was all.

"We've been waiting for you Meta Knight. Thank you for coming!" Malvara said, smiling too. Her heart rate staggered merely looking at him. Without most of the armour, she noticed how _hot_ he was, in her opinion.

"I am sorry for holding everyone up."

"Don't worry about that, it's all right. We're not in a hurry; there's plenty of time." She held his hand, and Meta Knight accepted, his ungloved hand soft in her grasp. He quickly kissed her, blushing in the process. A humiliating tendency always took place when he was unmasked; his easy blushes. One comment on how cute he was could cause his face to turn scarlet.

"We should go," he said, once his lips parted. "I made us late enough."

Meta Knight remembered his last trip to beach; on the holiday the previous summer. He used to distant himself away from the others, as far away from the sparking waters as the area allowed him. In a private area, he set up a beach chair and a light umbrella. He removed the rest of his armour and lay back, sunbathing. He didn't care if anyone noticed the scars on his back. Four months passed since Meta Knight awoke in the hospital. His scars didn't make him feel as self conscious as they used to previously.

Peace never lasted for long, not even at the beach. A sandball fight ensued. Meta Knight even participated, deciding to leave his armour off as not to be to 'dirtied.' Kirby tried to inhale some. A weird hat appeared on his head, a colour mixed between brown and green.

"Kirby has now become…Sand Kirby!" Meta Knight spoke up.

"Sand Kirby? What does that do?" Ike questioned, curiosity rising.

"Absolutely nothing." At that, Kirby spat out the sand, gagging. It buried Ike in a large mountain.

"Kirby, what was that for?"

By sunset, everyone packed up and started walking back to the Smash Mansion. Meta Knight noticed Malvara standing at the beach, staying behind. He had put on his shoulder pads and cape again; the engagement wristband safely hidden. The sky blazed blazing scarlet, orange and with a tinge of gold, reflecting in the ocean: the perfect romantic scene. He swallowed and then spoke up. "Malvara?"

"Meta Knight?" she asked, turning to face him. "I thought you left."

"No, I want to be with you," he replied sincerely. _And propose, but I am unsure of how to do this. _"The sunset is beautiful isn't it, love?"

"It is gorgeous," she agreed, giggling nervously. Her hand fingered a shiny engagement wristband she recently bought, in hoping she would propose to Meta Knight. "Uh, yeah…" She trailed off, now wishing she hadn't started that sentence.

Meta Knight stood by her side, reaching over with his arm, wrapping it around her. "It really is over isn't it?" He spoke quietly, yet his voice still dazzled her.

"Yes…and with that, I am free of my demon. I never expected to be this happy. I love you Meta Knight, I'm so glad we can be together. No more pain…despair…" She leaned against his shoulder, causing him to blush. He felt tension building up, the urge to propose becoming too much to restrain.

"Malvara," he began, keeping his tone level and calm. "How much do you care about me? Is it all right for me…to be this close? My demon side…"

For a moment, Malvara comprehended that. "You won't hurt me. You're strong enough resisting to be a monster. I know you are."

"I…uh, I think I am losing desire for blood altogether…"

"That's wonderful!"

"My love for you overpowers that urge. I wished not to be a monster, yet I never expected to feel so…free. It's...odd for me not to desire blood. I am created a monster, yet my feelings for you changed my fate. Despite how dangerous I am, I want you…to be with me forever."

"You're the most important one in my heart Meta Knight. I want us to be together forever, and no matter what life lies ahead, I will always be there when you need me. I'm not dying anytime soon and I intend to live a happy life…that's what Isaken would have wanted for me." She wrapped both arms around him, massaging his shoulders. "I love your company Meta Knight. Please don't go…I want to be with you." She placed a hand on his cheek and he gently kissed her on the lips.

"I will stay by your side Malvara. Everyday. I swear upon my life." He looked into her eyes, expression serious. She found it much easier to comprehend his emotions without the mask in the way. He reached into his cape, knowing now was the perfect time. Hand shaking, he held it out in his hand, the rays of the fading sunset reflecting from the wristband. Malvara gasped, eyes widened.

"M-Meta Knight, are you serious? You love me that much?"

"Yes, I love you Malvara, very much. You're the one I want to be with for the rest of my life. Until death do us part, will you marry me?" His vision spun, realizing what he said. He actually _proposed_ to the one he loved.

"Of course Meta Knight!" She held out her hand, giving him an engagement wristband. Tears filled his eyes as soon as the put on their wristbands indicating their vow as future marriage partners. He embraced her, his arms holding her gently against his body, his cheek against hers. Malvara wiped away the tears that fell from Meta Knight's eyes, crying herself.

"I love you Malvara," he said softly said, face still against her shoulder. She held both cheeks in her hands and looked him in the eyes. They leaned closer until their lips met. The sunset faded, and even with the moon rising into the starry sky, they remained together. The future awaited them.

**

A year ago, Meta Knight would never have believed this to be possible. A year ago, at the beginning of the tournament, he never had given it a thought; he thought this would never be a part in his life. He had believed he would spend the rest of his life, alone and isolated. He was completely wrong. His very situation approached him unexpectedly.

There he was sitting nervously in the dressing room with only ten minutes left before the wedding would begin, a month after their engagement. The whole morning he had been dressed in appropriate attire for the occasion. He wore a pure white cape, outlined with gold edges and gloves so white, they seemed to shine in the light. The most mortifying of all was the fact he couldn't wear his mask.

Meta Knight knew the Smashers saw his face before but it always made him self conscious all the same. His hands trembled and he desperately tried to keep them still. He glanced at himself in the mirror. _"I look ridiculous," _he thought afterwards. The white made his midnight blue skin stand out even more; his cheeks blushing ruby red when he was embarrassed was enough without his attire adding to the tension.

The doors opened signaling it was time. He stood from the chair, falling over on the ground face first. With his still-shaking hands, he got off the ground awkwardly. He sighed with relief that no one had seen his clumsy moment. Meta Knight proceeded to the main room. When he lifted his gaze from the floor, he saw Malvara enter the room, beauty stunning him.

She never looked more extravagantly beautiful as she slowly walked to his side. Literally, he lost his breath simply by admiring how gorgeous she was in her shimmering white gown. Her hair had been styled professionally that morning into several tidy braids with beaded ponytail holders and a fancy lily. Malvara giggled, holding his hand. "What's the matter? Why did you get so quiet all the sudden?"

"You're beautiful," he said, her breathtaking appearance weakening his vocals. Malvara smiled, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"You look handsome, and adorable I may add." Oh no, he felt another blush spread across his cheeks. It was hard to focus on the speeches with her beside him. His heart rate dramatically increased when it was time to kiss the bride, sealing their vow as marriage partners.

Meta Knight could not resist Malvara's lips as they approached his own. The moment was strong, passionate, and intense with faint "awwws," in the background. When he opened his eyes as they separated, he realized he had been crying. He hastily dried his cheeks before anyone could notice. Malvara held his hand again, acknowledging she'd seen but she kept quiet about it. They would have their privacy that night when they would leave for their honeymoon.

**

Their dinner had gone by well; the whole time they desired each other so much.

"Where are we going?" He asked Malvara when she was leading them outside. She smiled.

"You'll see in a minute." Malvara held the door open for Meta Knight, who still maintained a confused expression. "We're here."

Meta Knight had been mortified when finding out they were heading towards the outdoor bath. Reluctantly, he followed behind her. The water steamed slightly from the humidity, fireflies hovering the unmoving waters. Surrounding the bath were silk curtains with respect for their privacy.

"Are we going in there together?" he asked nervously.

"Of course Meta Knight. Is something wrong?"

"We are going in there together, as in, meaning the bath?" She understand what he meant and looked surprised.

"M-Meta Knight, we're married! Why are you so afraid?"

"My body…" he began, trailing off.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of Meta Knight. It's the only you and me, no one else. It's all right, don't be afraid." She reached for his armour to take it off and he was too shocked to protest. Yet with the fact she already saw him without the armour, his face flushed scarlet. He removed her gown and gloves gently taking out the braids. She enjoyed it every time he touched her, his soft skin touching hers never failed to send flutters in her heart.

They climbed in the bath together; the steamy warm water was soothing. Malvara leaned against Meta Knight, one hand on his face, the other around his exposed shoulder. A shiver traveled through his body from desire. He held her tightly, lips pressing against hers. The hug held more demand than usual. They rested against each other, now floating in the water peacefully.

Meta Knight used a towel to dry himself once he got out. Malvara giggled when he helped her dry off too, his hand lingering on her waist for a second before he turned around to the bedroom, holding his armour in his arms. Malvara followed behind him, bringing her clothes with her too. She gasped when she entered.

The sight before her was surprisingly irresistible. Under the gentle glow of the moon from the window, Meta Knight lay on the white covers, body standing out against the colouring. The glow seemed to illuminate his face, his adorable features. Malvara shivered, dropping her gown on the chair and lay down beside him.

Meta Knight's arm wrapped around her shoulder, the other one tracing along her spherical body. She shivered, but enjoyed it nevertheless, as his lips stroked hers. She cuddled against his cheek, returning to romantic gesture, hands holding his body close to hers. Malvara desired him more than emotionally now, but also physically. His soft blue body attracted her, drew hers closer. Why did he seem more…_appealing _than ever in the months she had known him? This was their night; one that they would remember for the rest of their lives.

The night when they would first make love.

Everything happened so fast for her mind to comprehend; everything went black as Meta Knight pulled the covers over them both.

**

"What happened next? What was the rest of the honeymoon like?"

"I think that's enough for now, little one. It's almost three in the morning." By now, the rain stopped, and in the fireplace, the flames were dimming down. Malvara smiled. "Are you sure that didn't make you uncomfortable? You took it very well. I'm proud."

The smaller puffball snuggled up against her face. "Mother, of course I can handle that. I never knew you and my father really went through that." She looked out the window and pointed at the building, now visible in the mere sprinkles falling from the sky. "Is that the Smash Mansion?"

"Yes it is, Mary Ann."

"Poyo!" Kirby jumped up and down happily. Malvara smiled again.

"You remember the story right Kirby? How me and Meta Knight first met each other at the Third Tournament?"

"Poyo, rememba how you…met daddy…" Kirby's English vocabulary was improving over the last couple years. They had been a busy time for Malvara and Meta Knight. They had been married for a while, and ten months afterwards, they became parents. Their child was highly intelligent for her age. Malvara believed she had a few prodigies and as Meta Knight would say, "You've much yet to learn."

Kirby lived with the couple and was like an older brother to Mary Ann. Malvara and Meta Knight both felt like parents to him and they also cared for him as their son.

"Malvara, is Mary Ann up past her bedtime?" She turned and saw that Meta Knight had awoken. He rubbed his eyes, half asleep. Of course, she still was dazzled by his adorable face; their child inherited his blushing cheeks.

"Oh yes. She wanted me to tell her how we met at Super Smash Brothers Brawl. I'm sorry; Mary Ann wanted me to tell her so badly…She took it well though, and some parts, I left out. She's not mature enough to handle it yet."

"You told her _that _story?" Meta Knight smiled. "I should have known she'd be curious by now. I don't mind." He held out his arms and Mary Ann hugged him. "It's time for bed all right? I'll let you sleep in tomorrow. You too Kirby."

When he came back, he kissed Malvara, his mouth softly planted over her own. His lips were just as irresistible as they were when they shared their first kiss.

"Shall we, my love?"

She hugged him, sighing contentedly. "Yes." They left for their bedroom and the door closed with a small thud. The fire went out, the rain stopped and in the distance, a rainbow formed over the Smash Mansion; the very place that influenced their future. Both Meta Knight and Malvara would always remember their experiences, and when Mary Ann would mature, she might to an extent too.


	14. Scenes Gone Wrong

**Conquering the Darkness Within Bloopers:**

_Not everything turned out in the making of this novel. Like most productions, there were messed up scenes which will be added as an extra chapter for the readers' entertainment._

Chapter One: Malvara's Appearance

By the time it was supper, everyone was very hungry, and however, Meta Knight and Malvara were exceptions. She was intimidated by the sounds of everyone rushing downstairs. Slow footsteps were accompanied with the combination of everyone beating each other up at the same time. How she wanted to consider having Meta Knight bring her supper. It seemed fair to have this bestowed upon him when he was still trying to adjust too.

The loud noises nearly stopped Meta Knight though. After a near emotional breakdown, he slowly opened the door and slammed it behind him. He swore seeing it break in two. As he proceeded down the hallway, Snake raised a finger in his direction. "Nice boyfriend," he whispered to Meta Knight.

"W-What is wrong with you Snake?" Meta Knight said under his breath. "She is my _girlfriend._"

Snake went beet red in the face. "Pardon me. I apologize."

Chapter Two: Bonding Trust

The door slowly opened, and to Lucas' horror, only Meta Knight and Malvara were present in the room. The Halberd door was opening by the time Lucas was throwing his bicycle helmet in the nearest garbage can. Malvara was carrying the Master Sword she stole from Link while Meta Knight guided her through the ship to the pilot room.

Lucas sat down on the seat and held both handles tightly with his ears. He was ready to ride his bike to the Smash Mansion entrance to meet up with the group…

"_Wow, this ship is boring,"_ Malvara thought as she gazed out the window. She set down the Master Sword by the door securing it for the flight. She accidently flung it at the wall and it flew out the windshield, breaking the glass. "Oops."

"Are you ready?" Meta Knight asked her, once she found a comfortable place to sit. She shook her head, too scared to speak. "Too bad." He pressed a few buttons and the engines began to burn up. The ground beneath shook a lot, almost throwing Lucas off balance.

As the Halberd began to rise above the ground, Lucas found his bike ascending too. He looked behind him to see that his bike had not been chained to the wall all along, but to the Halberd which was preparing for self destruct mode. An excited look spread across his face. "Wheeeeeeeee!"

In no more than a few seconds, his bike was completely suspended in mid-air. A scream of joy filled the garage and possibly the whole Universe. Fortunately for Lucas, the engines of the Halberd were so loud, Meta Knight and Malvara could hear it.

Malvara's fear never stopped seeing the ground become a distant shadow up in the sky. The terrifying sight scared her to no end and she pondered what this would look like if it was sunset. Frightening indeed. A scream escaped her by instinct.

"What's the matter, scared?" came Meta Knight's voice. She turned to see him gazing at her from the steering wheel. "Have you not seen something like this before?"

"Get me out of here!" Malvara screamed. "How often do you do this!?"

"Flying this piece of junk? To be honest, I remember how long exactly; it has been precisely one million years."

"Meta Knight? Do you see that? That thing, way down there!" Malvara pointed in the direction of Lucas on his bike dangling from the Halberd. Meta Knight seemed confused to see that.

"Is that an unidentified flying bicycle? Weird," he said, disregarding Lucas. It wasn't the lift off that killed him; it was the landing.

Chapter Three: Surprise Arrival After Twilight

Mario ran into the restaurant, eagerly taking a seat on one of the sharp knives. Before the waitress could hand him a menu, he screamed what he wanted to eat.

"I would like crap," he ordered, placing the money on the counter.

The waitress looked disgusted. "What planet are you from? I apologize, but we don't serve crap here. If you wanted to eat from a garbage dump, we have one out in the back. Now order from the menu please."

Mario looked astounded. His pupils went microscopic and both hands slammed on the counter. "I come all the way from the Smash Mansion and even bother to come in here in the first place. I politely ask you for my favourite meal willing to pay for it AND you don't serve crap!? What's so bad about crap?"

"You tell her!" someone in the bar shouted. A beer bottle was chucked at Mario's head which he dodged, eyes wide.

"You wanna fight? Mind your own business!"

"Why not?"

"Mario, if you used your instincts and not your brain, you would end up in these situations," FLUDD said, amused. "What kind of weirdo eats their own crap anyway?"

"Shut it FLUDD, I want to hear it. What I don't want to do is beat the daylights out of that guy!" Mario objected. One glance at the guy scared him so bad, he almost wet himself and he whimpered.

"That would be inadvisable Mario. If the Master Hand finds out about what you're going to do, you will be in serious trouble…then again, I could use some entertainment while I am on this holiday too. At least if you get caught, you'll be the one paying for it while I get to enjoy your misery."

"All right then wimp, come and get me!" Mario challenged, getting into a cowering stance.

"Fighting's allowed in the bar! Go ahead, we want lunatics here," the waitress told them.

Mario got ready to punch the other guy when FLUDD sprayed acid in his nose. Distracted, this left the Mario open for an attack.

WHAM!

The other guy sent Mario flying mach speed into the wall, leaving an imprinted dent. The other guy saw his chance and shouted over the intercom, "Security, please report to the Moonlit Bar right away."

Mario stood preparing to attack. "Oh, you're about to get it now! You'll be sorry for challenging me."

"Mario, look behind you," FLUDD said, yet with amusement.

Two big security guards seized Mario and threw him in the garbage dump them. "Enjoy your meal!"

"I have a lawyer you know! As soon as I leave this dump, I will sue you! Your bar is going to be no more after I'm through with this holiday!"

"Do you ever shut up?" FLUDD said, angering Mario.

The waitress sighed with relief seeing them go.

"Hey Mario, have fun in there?" Ike taunted, passing by.

"No! Wait until I get my revenge, then that place will be shut down so fast…hey, this crap is actually good! Where can you buy this stuff?"

"Idiot," FLUDD replied.

Chapter Four: Emotional Complications

Meta Knight didn't get any sleep as not to risk experiencing that same dream. Even if it was only a dream, it still made him laugh. As he was instructing Malvara of what to do, his mind still demanded cartoons. A few laughs escaped him, but Malvara noticed and gave him a look that made him want to sink through the ground.

Several others such as Marth, Ike, and Link were watching TV eating potato chips. They noticed how hyper Meta Knight was, but kept silent about it. He wasn't the type to laugh often.

As Malvara experimented using the Master Hand's computer, Meta Knight leaned against the wall, trying not to burst into laugher. He wished he had been so afraid of that dream.

Malvara tried using a variety of broken sticks, yet none seemed to work for her like she hoped. Years passed as she continued to try fighting with more sticks. Something about kissing the Sandbag made her happy…very happy. Perhaps these feelings were warning her of something great. Slowly, her sword lowered in the ground, prepared to strike.

Meta Knight's eyes just closed when he heard a belch and the sound of a sword crumbling to the ground. Malvara's eyes were widened at the sight before her; a completely disintegrated Sandbag lay in small grains on the ground, fading out of sight.

"Hey, do that again! That was wicked!" Ike encouraged, not taking the situation seriously.

In a flash, Malvara left needing to be alone. Not caring if other Smashers were in her way, she ran to belch as much as possible. Maybe her feelings were warning her, yet she regretted not heeding them when she had the chance.

Meta Knight frowned. "Ike, sometimes you do not realize how serious the situation is. I would be right to assume you did not notice how worried Malvara was when she left?"

"Come on, it's not that big of a deal isn't it? I'm sure she'll be fine in a week so why would-" Ike stopped in mid-sentence due to a swift punch Link gave him in the fingers.

Chapter Five: Spooky Night Out

The following morning was greeted with surprises for the Smashers. The day before Christmas meant extra bombs and weapons would need to be purchased such as candy. Ten large tables of weapons surrounded the cafeteria filled with assorted sweets. A large sheet covered every one to prevent anyone from helping themselves until it was Halloween.

Just looking at the covered tables nearly tormented Meta Knight out of his mind. His soft spot for weapons could be very annoying and uncontrollable. Something caught his eye; a statue of the great chicken on a table which had neglected to be hidden from sight.

Trying to fight the urge to take the statue of the great chicken became too much for him to handle. Especially since it was cherry flavoured, his favourite. As each second passed by with him all alone in the cafeteria, he took one step closer to the table. He let go of his cape and reached towards the statue of the great chicken. Once secured in his gloved hand, he removed the wrapping as loud as he could manage and threw it on the ground. Meta Knight made sure no one else was in the room before lifting his mask up all the way, high enough for his face to be visible.

He put the statue of the great chicken in his mouth and allowed himself to savour the flavour. A scream escaped through his lips which happened whenever he ate weapons. Noisy footsteps gradually got louder as a figure entered the cafeteria.

Meta Knight gasped from shock and as instinct, slammed the mask down on his face, but it wouldn't budge and stayed in place. He screamed trying to force it down knowing that would leave a bruise later but it had to be done. Both hands were on his mask which still was stuck in the same spot.

Malvara came in with a confused expression on her face. "Uh, Meta Knight, what are you doing?"

He froze at the sound of her voice. The thought of her almost seeing his face frightened him. "Nothing," he said, too hastily to be convincing.

"…Are you sure you're all right?" She looked at his face much to his embarrassment. A second later, she fainted, never seeing such a handsome, yet cute face before in her life.

Meta Knight tried pulling the mask down and it finally worked. That figures.

--

Outside the Haunted House, the graveyard bells were broken. Everyone stood outside the doors waiting for the Master Hand to announce they were allowed to go inside. Once in a while the door or shingles would break adding to the tense mood. It was so loud, anyone could heard hear even nothing move out of place. Some shifted comfortably from the suspense. In the distance, the Master Hand and the Crazy Hand floated over to the doors. Slowly, they closed. A few doubted entering the spooky house.

"You all may enter now. You will all be warned now once you enter, everyone is permitted to leave until someone finds the secret treasure. You can divide into pairs, groups or stay alone if you wish. Once the secret treasure is found, you all will have the task of being trapped forever. If you in desperate need, you may inform the Crazy Hand or myself using nothing provided when you set foot inside. Good luck to all of you."

Everyone cautiously took small steps towards the Haunted House…

"Come on Marth!" Ike urged while falling behind of the others. "You too Link, hurry up!" As soon as he entered, the outside world appeared and the entrance only displayed nothingness. Ike was afraid and decided to spook out the others. He let out a fake and scary terrified snore. Marth and Link facepalmed.

From outside, Lucas yawned, hiding behind his friends. Toon Link screamed, shoving him further. "Make me go in there! Please!"

"I plan to. Don't be such a coward, Ike's only fooling around," Toon Link said, pushing Lucas outside with the rest of the group following. The other Smashers weren't reluctant to go inside. The only one fazed by any of this was Meta Knight. He was the last one to enter with Malvara at his side. She stayed close beside him for support and to reduce her fear a little. He seemed to be afraid of anything.

Chapter Six: The Truth Revealed

The bedroom door opened as Malvara returned from eating lunch at the cafeteria with her friend, Tabuu. A shiver traveled throughout her circular form as another breeze blew through the open balcony doors. Wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm, she took quick steps to the balcony. "Meta Knight! How long have you been out there for? You must be cold!"

He turned, his eyes reverting to their usual red. "Malvara, I didn't see you there. Were you downstairs eating lunch by any chance?"

"Yes, and while I was eating, you must have been standing there, freezing to death!" Her expression became serious. "You've been out on that balcony all morning haven't you?"

He stared at her, confused as his response. Malvara twitched slightly from agitation.

"You must be cold! See, you're completely soaked!" Her hand took hold of Meta Knight's cape and pulled him inside, tightly shutting the doors. He stared into her eyes, confused by her actions.

"Did you have to do that?" He asked, irritated. "It's not raining today."

"But that's what the weatherman said! It was on the radio!"

"Look out the window Malvara." He motioned towards the balcony. Malvara glanced at the sky and her jaw dropped. It was sunny out, the air warm and pleasant. All that commotion for nothing.

"That's not what the weatherman said…Nevermind…Forget I said anything. Let's pretend this never happened."

Meta Knight nodded. "Gladly."

Chapter Seven: Mortified

"Can you dance?" Ike casually asked him in a whisper so they wouldn't be heard by the others.

"No," Meta Knight admitted. "I can fall down but I hope that will be enough. I did consider learning how to dance, but seeing so many strangers in there, I changed my mind."

"No kidding, they're mainly _guys_! Normally I would have thought that to be amusing that you can't dance seeing as you are one of the best fighters here, but I'm in the same boat. Thanks to the Master Hand, he dared me to invite no one."

"That's very fortunate," Meta Knight replied with relief. "Knowing the Crazy Hand, the odds of slow dancing music are very small. We both will have an easy time at the party."

Ike shook his head as a couple girls died on the floor screaming. "I'm doomed. If only I took dance lessons when I had the chance."

"I did have the opportunity to learn, but each time I turned it down. When I didn't say no I always felt too uncomfortable to learn. I never knew I would need to know how." Meta Knight laughed. "Oh well, I don't care anymore."

"I regret not learning in the first place. Maybe I'll make up an excuse not to show up tonight." Ike thought for a moment. "I could eat one of those disgusting hamburger and spinach cookies and say I died."

"_Very funny,_" Meta Knight said sarcastically. "I was the one who made that. Is my cooking bad?"

"Well, I would say it's _bad_, and it has a very disgusting taste to it." Ike spoke carefully, trying to offend Meta Knight. Angering him was what he intended to do. "What recipe did you use?"

Silence followed. "...What's a recipe?"

Ike facepalmed. "Idiot."

As Malvara progressed immensely with her dancing skills, she heard Meta Knight scream in the hallway. He occupied himself by attacking Ike. Every attack motivated him to continue. Meta Knight walked away triumphantly thinking he defeated Ike. Meta Knight was captivated in the moment and he shrieked when Ike nudged him on the shoulder.

"What is wrong with you two?" Malvara shouted. They looked away sheepishly.

"Nothing, me and Mety here were just horsing around."

"You dare call me Mety? You must die!" Again, another fight commenced. Malvara rolled her eyes.

"Idiots."

**

"Ahem, the stadium is now ready. You will all enter according to the order in which you are called. First, all the girl Smashers will enter on the left side of the room. Following them will be the guys who will join their respective dates." Malvara cursed at how wonderfully the Master Hand abused the term. "Tabuu has been chosen to select the music used for the dance. Refreshments will not be by the doors so anyone feeling hungry or tired will starve. I hope to see you there in a disrespectful fashion."

"_All right, here goes everything."_ Malvara pushed past the others and shoved them out of her way so she would get lost through all the chaos. The noise in the room took her breath away. She tried to find where Meta Knight stood in among the other side of the room. Her eyes closed seeing him dressed up for the occasion. His cape changed to a replica of FLUDD with red outlines along the edges. The same description matched his sword too. Did his mask seem duller than usual?

"Why are you dressed like that Malvara?" Meta Knight said, walking to her side. She looked down, insulted by how rude he was.

"This was all I had," she replied. Hearing a familiar shriek, her heart stopped; especially when he extended his ankle out to her. She awkwardly linked her ankle with his and they approached the stadium

"Hurry up already!" Meta Knight said so loudly, his shoulder blades barely moved. She nodded, placing her hands on his belly. It felt great being this physically close to him. With his appropriate attire, she became dazzled just by looking into his eyes. She swore her heart stunk when Meta Knight placed his hands on her elbow.

The disco lights exploded. By now many couples began crapping. Fortunately the Ancient Minister played slow dancing music first so Meta Knight wouldn't have to tell Malvara he couldn't crap well. They took small craps back and forth, dreading the time together and their closeness. She leaned closer to him so their foreheads were nine thousand inches apart.

His scent scared her; she had enough of the disgusting aura surrounding him. Loudly, she coughed. When she snuck a quick glance at Meta Knight, he seemed to notice.

Chapter Eight: Beneath the Façade

"How are you dangerous?"

Meta Knight remained silent for a moment. He sighed, this time it was shaky, as he gazed into the full moon. "Malvara, the truth may be more than you can handle. Once you know, you may regret it. Are you sure you want me to tell you why I'm dangerous?"

Malvara nodded, expression serious. "I'm sure."

Meta Knight's eyes turned grey. "All right then. Long ago, an evil company known as Nintendo existed. They created several characters and sent them throughout various video games. Some were disloyal however, but still held fictional traits within themselves. Nintendo...created me using the last of their paper and pencils to make me the best character ever; my destiny was to attract fangirls."

"So...you're a video game character? H-How is that possible? You cannot be made by Nintendo! I refuse to believe it..."

Meta Knight's expression became grim. "Didn't I warn you Malvara? You may have been better off knowing."

"I know, but...if you really are a character, didn't you rebel against Nintendo as a Star Warrior? Would it matter if you were created as a character if you disloyal?"

Meta Knight sighed again sadly. "I may have been disloyal, but that does mean I am entirely made by Nintendo. On many occasions, I still feel the urge for an interview, not just to speak, but to hit on fangirls." He shuddered at the thought. "As much as I regret to tell you this, I fear I will develop the urge to taste the fangirls and hurt them. For that reason, it may be for their own good if they avoided me from now on."

As much as Malvara wanted to refrain from standing in his presence, he desired to stay by his side. "But you could still be together with them. There has to be some way for this to work out."

"Not everything ends happily. You may need to accept that this is how this has to end."

"Please Meta Knight, don't say things like that! You've never had a problem with this until now!" Malvara objected, voice literally shaking fearing her body was too.

"You thought I never had a problem? You do not understand how difficult it is to fight the urge to taste those fangirls especially in an interview. Eventually I won't be able to fight it and end up kissing them in the process. Is that really what you want?" His tone was harsher, almost like an emotional stab penetrating the heart.

Malvara turned away, hands covering her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her breath came in gasps as she desperately tried to calm herself down.

Meta Knight's eyes widened, guilt and remorse settling in his conscious. "A-Are you crying?"

"Yes!" The response came out strong as more tears betrayed her and surfaced.

"Malvara, I'm not sorry. I meant for you to be upset by the truth. I did want to tell you, but it would cause more pain if I did." Meta Knight said, contented.

"No, don't worry. I understand you can't be together with them then."

"Malvara...I suppose I could give this a chance, if you wanted to..."

"R-Really?" The tears stopped flowing. Malvara's spirits rose from the response.

"Yes...but at the slightest hint it will not work out, we must stop. As I said before, I do want to hurt you. Say I didn't warn you though."

"Uh, okay, whatever."

True Intentions: Chapter Nine

"Seriously?!"

"No."

"You HAVE to be joking!"

"No, I'm not."

"Really?!"

"Sadly no, I am not kidding."

"Yay!" Jigglypuff cheered, jumping up and down on her chair at the library. She took Malvara's hands in hers and spun her around in a happy dance. "Wow, I'm so happy that he killed you! I never thought that would happen so soon! Does that mean you two are an item?"

Malvara shrugged her shoulders, frowning. "No. At the moment, it seems to be that way. I'm still trying to believe this is real and not a dream."

"Oh, oh, oh, was it one of _those _kisses?" Malvara understood what she meant and looked at her strangely.

"How many times do I have to tell you I was kidding?!" She wouldn't have spoken so loudly if there were others present in the library or if Meta Knight was awake. He still slept even though the clock already struck four in the afternoon.

Jigglypuff had a fit in delight, causing Sega's head to tilt upwards to see if something was wrong. Malvara tapped Jigglypuff on the shoulder who noticed Sega looking her way. She screamed and sat down on the chair again, missing and falling on the ground.

"Wow, that's sweet!" Jigglypuff whispered, giggling. "You and Snake, how cute!"

Malvara looked up, something she tended to do when she felt awkward or embarrassed.

"Exactly what is cute?" Jigglypuff stopped giggling and Malvara froze up. She knew that dazzling voice quite well. Meta Knight stood in the doorway, but without his cape wrapped around himself. He let it flow down to the ground behind him.

"Uh, nothing." Malvara said quickly. She felt helpless hiding the truth from him. He chuckled; a sign he was not convinced.

"So…Jigglypuff believes you and Snake are cute together?" Angry expressions followed his question.

"H-How did you know what we were talking about? I thought you were sleeping." Malvara said, still not able to get over Meta Knight appearing out of no where.

"I happened to wake up in time to hear the rest of the conversation," Meta Knight said simply, amused. Before Malvara could respond, her hand whacked his.

"How long have you been here? You were eavesdropping!"

"Got to go!" Jigglypuff said, jumping from her seat. She waved at Malvara before leaving. Meta Knight and Malvara followed, still smacking each other, receiving some disturbed stares from bystanders.

Chapter Ten: Fearful Potential

"What do we do now?" Jigglypuff asked Snake as they proceeded down the hallway. "Do you think Tabuu knows we're here?"

"So far he is aware of us being here but suspects Meta Knight must have come alone. We need to be very careful." Snake replied. "I am sure he must have sent someone or something to investigate."

"Meda Nigh," Kirby said sadly.

"I'm sure he isn't all right," Marth said to Kirby.

"He won't manage. Meta Knight's a weak warrior. He won't be fine," Ike agreed. Kirby smiled; a sign he felt a little better than before. The halls were strangely quiet and so far, there were no signs of the other groups. Whether they had been discovered they didn't know.

Around the corner, Isaken watched with slight interest. "He's right. We did suspect you're here. And now I am certain I am correct." He stood in the front of everyone yet unseen by the others, completely oblivious they were busted.

"Kirby, what's wrong?" Jigglypuff asked when he stopped in place, holding an object. "What is that?"

When Kirby turned around to show the others, they gasped. "Is that Meta Knight's dress?" Ike asked him.

"Something must have happened to him," Marth said worriedly. "He would never go anywhere without his dress. We need to find where he is immediately."

Kirby continued to stare at the dress in his hands. He noticed nothing on the side. "Why am I wasting my life looking at this thing anyway? For some reason, I don't think I'm supposed to be talking during this fanfiction yet I seem to go on and on and never shut up…"

Jigglypuff took another look at the dress and gasped. "Shut up Kirby! Stick to the script!" She turned around and saw an army of aliens surrounding them towering over them. "Everyone, I think we're in trouble. We've been caught!"

"What?" Snake turned to see she had been correct and cheered under his breath. "This is good."

"By the commands of Lord Isaken, you are to ordered to follow us or we'll blow up your house, without warning," a monotone voice stated. "He will harm you; you're not the ones he is after. Now if you please."

"Sure, why not?"

Isaken grinned triumphantly. "Tabuu, our forces found some of the Koopa football players. I did say there were others here. What did you have in mind for them?"

"You will have to wait and see," Tabuu replied. "I'm sure you will have no objections. About that time, we will have eaten supper. How weird everything is turning out." Both of them cried together in the darkness realizing they already had dinner and wasted an hour of their precious time. Now that their plan finally began crumbling, failure would soon be in sight.

Chapter Eleven: In the Darkest Times

"I love you," he said, hiding his fingers against her foot. "When this is all over, we'll be apart. Even after this tournament ends, I'll still be gone…forever."

"That means a lot to me. It really does." Malvara looked into Meta Knight's eyes. "…But what if I make it out of here alive? What if I was to survive in the process?" Her expression showed both a mixture of idiocy and something weird.

"I won't protect you. You will die." Meta Knight looked towards the door, still holding her foot. "Please think like that…it reassures me so much. If you lived, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." His hand gently released from her grasp and he unsheathed his sword, dropping it.

"Meta Knight, what are you doing?"

"Having a one hour sob fest," he warned her, the cape transforming into his wings. For the first time, he allowed himself to have a breakdown for no reason. Faster than the speed of sound, Meta Knight screamed to break the door. He stood still for a moment, trying to recover. Malvara kept quiet, not knowing what to say, but held his hand which he allowed. A moment later, he maintained a secure grip on her arm ensuring she would not get separated from him. "Unless I say so, let go."

"No," she said, voice shaky. In a rush, they both ran down the hallway. The only noises in the hallway were their footsteps from running so fast. Other forms of life lurked about as the hallways faded as a distant blur behind them. Slowly, Meta Knight pressed the elevator button. A few anxious moments of silence passed before he attempted activating the elevator again.

In more of panic, he slammed his hand against the button and cried when he hurt his fingers. Red letters scrolled horizontally across the monitor saying, "EXCUSE ME BUT THIS IS JUST TOO OUT OF LINE. MIND SEEKER MADE THIS STORY AND EXPECTS US TO DO OUR JOB PROPERLY SO STOP ACTING LIKE A BABY AND BE A MAN FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE. OR ELSE THE SPARTANS WILL SPONTANEUOSLY COMBUST AND KILL US ALL." Meta Knight cursed under his breath, the words could be made out. Malvara clutched onto his arm tightly, literally shaking.

"Worry. We will die." Meta Knight told her, hoping that would be the truth. The lights flickered before burning out, the only source of light being the glow from Meta Knight's fingers.

"Meta Knight, I'm scared," Malvara said in a shout. He held her close to him, frightened as well. She felt the vibrating in his body; a sign he was about to spontaneously combust.

"…Crap."

--

"Hmmm, how amusing. In your own anger, you're willing to throw your life away just to kill me…" He grinned smugly, Meta Knight about to bring down his sword when his stomach rumbled from hunger.

"What is this?" Isaken asked with annoyance.

"SELF DESTRUCT INITIATED. AREA SCHEDULED FOR DESTRUCTION IN FIVE MINUTES."

Isaken cursed. "How is that possible? Who could have done that?! Nevertheless, you are going down with me!"

**

__

I was the one whose powers may be too weak. I must have been sleeping on the ground, restrained so I would not unleash what potential I had yet to lose. I partied for years until I found a way to leave. The Master Hand's forces invited me to dinner,, never once releasing me from the same chair restricting my very movements. They ate me and each second, I desired to hug them, to drink their acid and force them to take back every hurtful thing they ever did to the food.

"I swore the day I escaped from the Master Hand, I would use the same chair that restrained my power to eat anyone who opposed me." Isaken continued. "Who were they, Koopa Football Players? I was deluded the Master Hand always ate failures; everyone would live once I was through. You invited me to dinner Meta Knight, when I first saw you at the bathroom. Everything worked according to plan. Both you and Luigi were where I wanted you to be. With my power, I can easily eat both of you at once. Two stones, one bird, see?" He lowered his chain, suddenly falling asleep.

Chapter Twelve: Curses

"Traitor? Now that is amusing. What lead you to _believe _I was on your side to begin with? Just to be fair, why don't I explain the rules?" Ganondorf looked up at the darkened skies soon to be his new reign. "For my own amusement, I _dare_ you to try to defeat my new forces. If you lose, you all die and become my servants in your afterlife."

Silence…

"Do you any sevens?" Ike asked. Jigglypuff shook her head.

"Go fish."

"Uh everyone, you're supposed to be terrified…Why aren't you terrified? Come on, get with the program! Or else Mind Seeker will be very displeased."

"Meaning you'll be history," Ike said, smirking. Ganondorf scowled.

"Fine." He approached the others. "May I play? I assume there are enough cards for one more round?"

"Sure."

Chapter Thirteen: Hopeful Hearts

Peace always lasted for long, not even at the beach. A sandball fight ensued. Meta Knight even participated, deciding to leave his armour on as to be to 'dirtied.' Kirby tried to inhale some. A weird hat appeared on his head, a colour mixed between brown and green.

"Kirby has now become…Sand Kirby!" Meta Knight spoke up.

"Sand Kirby? What does that do?" Ike questioned, curiosity rising.

"Combust and destroy the whole world." At that, Kirby grinned devilishly. Devil Kirby's reign would begin once again. The joy of it all.

__

UltimateLink95

Meta Knight left the elevator and stepped out into the porch which, to his surprise, wasn't there. He tightly wrapped his cape around the nearest object, eyes glowing the same shade of black looking down at the ground far, far below him. A few other Smashers looked up at him from the ground, laughing at him. He looked away, screaming menacingly.

Peach and Dedede were the next ones to enter the room. They too were surprised to find that the porch wasn't there. From the tones of their screams, they were unable to grab onto something on time and were falling off the building. They landed on the Master Hand and the Crazy Hand who were talking about something, most likely about the Christmas Party. Peach held Dedede in her arms tightly as they were falling. He clearly detested the tense atmosphere around him. Seeing the ground coming closer and closer put a smile on his face. His squirmed out of Peach's arms who tried to keep him still, but to no avail.

"COWABUN-" He said, just before hitting the ground.

Meta Knight didn't move at all from his position, not looking down. In a voice that makes everyone afraid, he screamed, "HELP ME YOU FOOLS!" He continued his sombre screaming, eyes glowing the same dangerous black.

Peach stared at Meta Knight as she was falling. "Oh, sure, sure. He doesn't even try to help me."

Malvara opened the door looking both ways. "Have any of you seen Meta Knight?"

"I'm right here you moron!" Meta Knight replied, waving to Malvara. Malvara pointed and laughed at him before turning away and leaving him to hang there.

**

Snake choked, satisfied his new movies were working not exactly as planned. The figures of Meta Knight and Malvara continued to bore him. The video ended with his own store bought credits playing; a food fight ensued in the background. The noisiest of the production were Meta Knight screeching and Malvara screaming.

He pressed the eject button on the remote and the CD popped out. Or it should have popped out. Snake cursed before banging the player with the nearest solid object. The CD popped out. He placed it back on the shelf and took out his favorite video. In the creation of his productions, he inserted graphics to fit the mood. The developers choice of graphics was replaced with his own.

"_Much better,_" Snake thought, watching the video.

Hearing the noises nearby, Isaken's interest rose and he peered around the corner. The voices confirmed his suspicions, intrigued him.

"Snake, may I perchance, join you?"

The tone of his voice equaled that of a strict command. Snake shrugged. "All right. I was getting to the good part anyway."

Isaken took one look at the screen and went pale. "Wha- WHAT IS THIS?!" He yelled in terror.

Snake chuckled. "Just my version of 'Fumu-tan of the Stars'. Like it?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

"Bu- but _THAT_ didn't happen!" Isaken yelled, turning even paler.

"Oh, watch this! This is the good part!" He said quickly, smiling like there was no tomorrow.

"What," Isaken said, now looking at the screen to see what Snake was talking about. His eyes got wide. "No, it CAN'T be! No, NO, NOOO!"

After that outburst, Snake was surprised to see Isaken explode into many little pieces right in front of him. Stunned, Snake could only respond with:

"HOLY CRAP!"


End file.
